


Fatal Attractions

by KZ_9246



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha Negan (Walking Dead), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Character Death, Daddy Issues, Daddy Kink, Daryl Dixon Smut, Dom Negan (Walking Dead), Dom/sub Undertones, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Daryl Dixon, Jealous Negan (Walking Dead), Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Negan Smut (Walking Dead), Older Man/Younger Woman, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Negan (Walking Dead), Praise Kink, Sad Daryl Dixon, Slow Burn, Sweet Negan (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:13:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 103,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25560400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KZ_9246/pseuds/KZ_9246
Summary: After the turn, most people are just living to get by. Kate was one of those people. After a herd ripped it's way through camp, she is left the sole survivor and lives alone for months, unaware of the changes the population have started to go through. People start presenting as Alphas/Omegas and as she's alone in this world, it's a change she doesn't understand, even when she is hunted down by complete strangers.She Is found by a group who she thinks she can trust, but the looming presence of another threatens the tenuous life she begins to build.** STILL IN PROGRESS**
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s), Maggie Greene/Glenn Rhee, Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Female Character(s), Rick Grimes/Michonne
Comments: 101
Kudos: 126





	1. Alone

**Author's Note:**

> So, introducing my first ever post on my first ever piece. This idea has just been itching at me and I just decided to give it a shot, let me know your thoughts!

There were few certainties after the world had all fallen to shit, but the ones that remained were brutal and unforgiving. First off, the moment you died and the proverbial lights were snuffed out, you would become caged in your own re-animated corpse and be destined to roam this sorry landscape until, likely a stranger, put you out of your misery. Secondly, once mother earth had began her 'cleanse' through a not-so-natural selection, a switch had been turned biologically in most of the remaining population; a fail safe to ensure that once the dead were eventually and hopefully overcome through starvation or being wiped out by survivors, that the human race would continue. It was a cruel twist of fate that led to a selected few humans 'presenting' as natural Alphas and Omegas; as if the survival of the downfall of the human race was not punishment enough... Fate had decided that whether you liked it or not, a biological need was ignited not even a year later.

The changes were subtle at first for Kate. An itch sat in the back of her skull like a dream she could not shake, but also could not remember. Then it was a restlessness that came from feeling that something was missing; a misery that she thought the end of the world would have had her experiencing months ago, only to crush in on her at her most vulnerable. 

For the first 6 months after the turn, she made it with a group just outside of Atlanta before a herd had ripped it's way through their camp. Being one of the only somewhat capable hunters in the group she had left at dawn to check the snares she set the night before, hoping to Christ that the walkers hadn't gotten to the traps before her. She had trekked the same path for weeks, dust kicking up from her battered converse as the sun had already reached scorching temperatures that day. She remembered how the trek had been worth it, grinning ear to ear as she had 6 rabbits to show for her efforts; finally the kids would be able to eat something other than canned spaghetti or butter beans. The victory was short lived when she came a mile within their camp and she heard the screams; all colour draining from her face at the unmistakable howls of being eaten alive, followed by the pop of gunfire and cries for help echoed through the landscape. By the time she had dropped her kills and sprinted back to their camp it was too late; the cries had stopped and the growling and snapping of jaws was all that greeted her. 

After that, Kate had become a lone wolf and learned to rely on only herself; she had made it a whole month before she came across another person, a mistake she was to learn a hard lesson from. It was around that time she learned she was experiencing her first heat. She was sure she had been so careful to cover her tracks to hide where she was from others; she even went as far as to climb a tree with her pack on her back and secured herself a makeshift hammock made of rope and tarp, sweeping leafs over any footprints to try and obscure her whereabouts. It was in the thick of the night when she first felt the trickle of need settle into her bones, a need for what she was yet to understand. Her sleep had been even more fitful and broken than usual, her muscles ached and her mind a fog as she could find no comfort. Hours had passed when the telltale snap of twigs underfoot gave away someone approaching; she listened for groaning, the snapping of teeth or the dragging of feet. Her heart stilled when she heard the measured treading of a conscious and thinking human. They had circled the perimeter, audibly sniffing at the air like a goddamn Labrador at a barbeque before they stopped dead in their tracks under her tree. The stranger had pulled at what she could only assume was hair as she squinted into the dark. "What is that goddamn smell?" She had heard a voice hiss as they paced underneath, growing more and more agitated by the minute. Kate had sniffed at the air as the haze of restless sleep left her; she smelt the thick dirt and sweat caked on her skin, she smelt the humidity of an approaching storm, heavy in the atmosphere. But in the background, she could smell something unfamiliar but undoubtedly there. It was musky, slightly spiced but undeniably masculine. Her bodily response was not something that she had prepared for. Her mouth had watered as if she could smell bacon in a pan after months of tasteless canned goods and very little meat in the snares she set. Her body began to sweat as if it was suddenly the middle of a summer's day and not the dead of night. Her confusion only increased as her responses seemed to only spur on the stranger, the searching becoming more frantic before their attention drew upwards. Her entire body stilled and she willed herself invisible, hoping that the deep green of the tarp would blend among the trees; she held her breath for what felt like hours before she heard the intruder make their exit. 

She hadn't rested for the rest of that evening, white noise in the background of her thoughts as she tried to piece the puzzle together, her own reaction simmering when she was once again alone. She had descended the tree with anxiety eating away at her stomach hours later: she wasn't sure whether she was safe, but eventually her need for clean water and the looming storm had overruled her choice. The moment her feet hit the dirt her attention was pulled in 3 different directions as simultaneous footfall made its way rapidly towards her. She pulled her crossbow from her battered pack and aimed, her finger ready on the trigger as she felt the cold steel of a knife edge against her throat. 

"Drop the fucking crossbow." A familiar voice from the night before had hissed in her ear, her stomach clenched as fear began to creep up her spine and she held her weapon out, allowing it to drop to the floor in front of her. She felt the bridge of a nose run up the side of her neck as a salacious growl rumbled in the throat behind her.  
"Fuck she smells even better up close." He had all but snapped his teeth at her tanned neck, using their other hand to pull her loosely braided sandy brown hair tightly to the other side, exposing her pulse point.  
"Don't you fucking touch me or I swea-" Kate had hissed through clenched teeth and she panted, her fight of flight instincts kicking in as the blade dug further into her skin cutting her off. "How about if you keep that pretty little mouth shut, I'll let you enjoy it the first time around, I can't really speak for my friends here though..." He sing-songed as Kate's blood ran cold, the meaning behind his words settling in. Her struggling only seemed to spur him on as he had ground his pelvis crudely into the swell of her behind, Kate cringed as she struggled to strain her neck away from the the unwanted contact. She reached down to her belt, feeling the sheath of her knife tucked in the belt of her jeans. As she went to pull it out, a startled shriek had pierced the air that had her assailants' head whipping in the opposite direction. Now she knew their intentions, she didn't hesitate as she yanked the knife from its hiding place and sank it into his thigh. The shock had him drop his knife instantly as she twisted the blade in his flesh, hot blood spurted up the side of her body and face. Once his grip was lose she had dropped down to crouch before grabbing her crossbow and shooting an arrow in the head of another man in the distance, the background screaming of another in the distance meant she only had a small amount of time before other walkers came now the dinner bell had been rung. Kate turned to look at her attacker on the floor, his skin turning a sickly grey as the blood drained from his complexion. He had grasped at his thigh to stem the bleeding uselessly as he tried not to thrash on the floor. She looked down at him with fury in her eyes as he glared up at her.  
"You're not the first we found darlin' and you sure as shit are strong enough to bring more runnin'." He had barked a humourless laugh as the light had started fading from his hateful stare, her confused eyes roamed his dirty and aged face and her bottom lip trembled.  
"You better run little girl." He had muttered as he lost grip on his wound, and blood freely poured from the knife slit as she pulled it out of his thigh and the ground around him coloured like rust as the parched ground tried to soak up the sticky mess of blood he had left behind. Once he had stopped breathing, Kate had searched him before running as fast as her feet could carry her. His words had haunted her when awake and when asleep; she felt his hands on her still dirty skin as she tried to make sense of his words and what had happened. She had tried to wash his blood out of her clothes, the grey tee now stained with a permanent physical reminder of her almost assault. 

Thankfully she had always stayed a step ahead of any group she encountered the weeks following the first incident, purposely being even more vigilant with her trail. This situation had repeated every month like clockwork. Every time she felt the telltale signs of her body reacting, she took steps to try and mask herself as if she were hiding from the dead themselves. She had used her only drinking water to dampen the ground before smearing mud on her face and exposed skin as if trying to avoid her scent carrying in the wind; it had worked up until the heavens had finally opened after a month of nothing but stifling heat, as if she couldn't catch a fucking break. This time she had been ready and didn't stick around long enough for them to catch her scent. 

Now, another month later, Kate had found herself in quite the predicament. Her resources were pitifully low as she stood at the threshold of an office building. She banged loudly on the front door to draw out any stragglers lurking in the building, a rather decrepit looking walker had limped its way around the corner, reaching hungrily toward her as she swiped her arm across its outreaching hands, pushing it over on to the reception welcome desk before she sank her blade swiftly into its temple before pulling it back out and flicking away the blood dripping from the tip of the steel. She had made her way through the empty office and came to stop at what she assumed was once a staff room. She found what she was looking for hidden in the corner, her eyes lighting up as her abstract thinking had led her into this accounting firm. "Accountant's gotta eat too." She mumbled under her breath as she stood in front of the half full vending machine. Her mouth watered as she saw dusty bags of M&Ms, protein bars and chips. It had been months since she had eaten anything remotely flavourful. Her hands grasped at the edge of the machine, beginning to rock it side to side as she saw the snacks coming loose. Her excitement began to build as she imagined chocolate melting on her tongue, somewhat overlooking the sheer weight of the vending machine just about toppling in front of her; before she could give it a second thought, she gave it another forceful push, regret painting her face as the momentum rocked the machine sideways and towards her.  
"Fuckkk!" She screeched as it toppled towards her, catching her heel on some godforsaken coffee stained rug, she stumbled backwards before falling flat on her ass and throwing herself all the way back. The machine groaned forward before lurching to a stop inches away from her face, the cord still tethering it to the wall.  
"Shit shit shit shit." She chanted as she rolled out of the way just before it would have crushed her. Kate felt the crash in her bones as it shocked the otherwise quiet around her as the machine landed flat on its side, with glass shattering everywhere. She knew she had to be quick as she kicked broken glass out of the way before crouching down and reaching in for the snacks and stuffing them in her pack.

Before she had a chance to tear into a pack, she heard the unmistakable crack of someone standing on glass behind her. Kate spun on her heel, her hair sticking to her sweat drenched face as she reached for her crossbow, a little too late as the long blade of a katana was held out Infront of her, the tip reaching just under her chin.  
"You gunna share those snacks?" A smooth, deep but feminine voice expanded the space between them as Kate held her hands up at her sides and nodded her head at the woman, she took in the sight of her long thick black dreads and muscular frame. "Just let me take a little and you can have the rest, I don't want any trouble." She lied as she shifted on her feet, looking about the room for an exit strategy or anything to use to her advantage. A quirked eyebrow was the only response she got as she inched around her, a steady and strong arm held the katana in her direction. Kate began to reach behind her for her last resort, a handgun, in the waistband of her jeans. Before she got a chance the woman in front of her shook her head. "Don't. I know you're alone. I don't want to hurt you. I could smell you from a mile away…" she said quietly as she looked Kate up and down with intrigue. "How have you made it this far all alone, Omega?" The stranger had asked. Kate's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she shook her head. "Omega? I don't think I am who you think I am…." Kate's voice wavered in confusion. If she could smell her then others could too. They were coming for her. She didn't know why they were coming, but they always did. Panic began to bloom in her chest as the voice of the man in the woods echoed in her brain. 'You're not the first we found darlin' and you sure as shit are strong enough to bring more runnin'. She felt her breaths come quicker and her eyes widened as fear set in to her muscles.  
"Hey, hey I'm not gunna hurt you I-" the woman began to insist as another voice bellowing from the doorway cut through the tension.  
"Michone you in here… well I guess you found her." You heard the rumble of his voice before you saw him storm through the door, a head of unruly brown curls drenched in sweat framed piercing baby blues. His nostrils flared as he entered the room and he edged closer to Kate's flank. "... Just stay calm, we ain't here to hurt you." He insisted as his eyes flickered between him and Michone, an acknowledgement so subtle that Kate didn't catch it and before she knew it, he had pounced, grasping the wrist closest to him and pulling it behind her back as she tried to reach for her gun with the other. Anticipating her move even as she thought it, he grabbed her gun before cracking her in the side of her skull, her lights shutting out like a switch. He caught her before her body hit the floor, hauling her small frame easily over his shoulder as he looked over at Michone who was glaring in disapproval. "Jesus Rick…. Way to make an introduction the poor kid wasn't gunna do anything. You see how confused she was?" She sighed as she sheathed her Katana before picking up Kate's bag and slinging it over her shoulder and collecting any packets left scattered in the floor. "Rick… I don't think she knows what she is." She mumbled, her voice laced with doubt as she straightened herself out and followed him out to the front of the building, watching as he placed Kate's limp body into the back of the truck with concern edging the corners of her eyes.

"Well, we've probably done her a favour, you know what's out here… or even who." Rick gestured all around them as the sound of growls began to build in the distance. "We both know I don't mean the walkers." He drawled as he walked around to the driver's side of the truck, wiping his brow with his forearm as he tucked Kate's gun into the band of his pants before pulling the door open and turning the key in the ignition, waiting for Michone to hop in before their tyres screeched, making their way back to their home. Alexandria.


	2. Rude Awakenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate gets an explanation although it leads to more questions. She settles in and meets some of Alexandria's residents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and this update!

When Kate next woke, her surroundings were alarmingly unfamiliar. Her temple throbbed in protest at the trickle of natural light streaming in from a basement window, her eyelids fluttered as they tried to adjust from the pitch black of unconsciousness. Kate gingerly tried to stretch her limbs, first flexing her toes in her converse, rotating her sore and tired ankle joints before she stretched her full length through her legs. Her heart stilled as she tried the same routine with her arms, starting at her fingers, she knew straight away something was off; she felt her heartbeat in her fingertips, a dead giveaway that her wrists were bound. Sure enough, when she tried to rotate her wrists, her tawny skin screamed at the restriction of what she assumed to be handcuffs. Finally opening her eyes, she was greeted with bare brick on the opposing side of thick, black steel bars. She was in a goddamn jail cell.  
"What the fuck..." Kate muttered to herself as she rattled her bindings behind her, realising she was indeed handcuffed as she shuffled her hands to push herself upright, grunting at the effort it took as she swung her legs underneath her. She huffed out a breath and blew strands of her sandy brown hair away from her face, wrinkling her nose in annoyance as it stuck to her brow: god she needed a shower. Once she had made herself more comfortable, or as comfortable as anyone could be with their hands behind their back, Kate let her head rest on the wall as she recounted the events she could remember that led her to this point. Her eyes widened as she recalled her encounter with the two strangers, questions bouncing around her head.  
Why did she call me Omega? Why can people smell me? What the in the name of FUCK is going on?

Her train of thought was cut abruptly short as she felt a familiar ache in her muscles; her bones felt restless under her own skin as her leg began to bounce up and down, a nervous habit she had since she was a child. Kate's realisation came that it was around 3-4 weeks ago since she felt this way last, she screwed her eyes together as she made a silent prayer to whoever the Joker up there was to stop this fuckery and tell her what was wrong with her. Just as she began to contemplate that question herself, a throat cleared from the other side of the bars, they must have slipped in as she began to tumble into a panic; a set of baby blue eyes regarded her, studying her reaction. The same unruly curls sat slicked backwards on top of his head, a full brown and grey peppered beard framed his jaw as he measured his words carefully.  
"D'no if you remember me but im-"  
"The shithead that cracked me up the side of my skull?" Kate cut him off before he could finish introducing himself, he flexed his jaw before he huffed a laugh out through his nose as he tilted his head to the side, regarding her.  
"Guess I deserved that. Names Rick. Sorry it had to go down like that... You know how it is I got people countin' on me and I can't take no chances." Kate nodded her head along with what he was saying and then raised an eyebrow.  
"What the hell am I doing here then? I didn't ask to be taken, you followed me, remember?" She sassed as she shifted uncomfortably on the bare concrete floor. Kate inhaled for what felt like the first time since sharing a room with Rick and she noticed the change. There was a distinct smell of vanilla and cinnamon that lurked in the basement, an odd find considering they were in a bare brick room and unless Rick had a hidden batch of cookies, she had no idea where it was coming from. Either way, her mouth watered and chest constricted. She winced uncomfortably as she took another measured breath, trying to calm her nerves, only for it to assault her senses again. Rick measured Kate's reaction, piecing together what was going on in her head as her nostrils flared and she squirmed on the concrete.  
"Can't leave an Omega alone, approaching their heat now can we?" Rick ran a hand over his beard as he smelt her scent begin to ooze off of her body, an automatic response to his presence as an Alpha. She smelt like honey and peaches and it was only going to get worse as the days went by. When he saw Kate screw her face up in confusion, his hand dropped from his jaw as he gestured loosely at his side in her general direction.  
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" He drawled in disbelief, his eyes shifting to the door behind him as Michonne came down the basement stairs and stood in the doorway, having obviously overheard their conversation she gave Rick a pointed look before motioning her head back to the stairs.  
"I think this is a conversation she may be more comfortable with while not trying to reason in her head why she can smell you and probably, no offence, this is better coming from a woman." Michonne unhooked her katana from her belt still in its sheath, leaning it against the wall farthest from the cell before she pulled a chair in front of Kate from the other side of the bars, sitting back she watched as Rick backed out of the room.  
"You're right. I'll be back in 20 to check on you both, hopefully get you somewhere more comfortable." He nodded before taking his leave, his footsteps echoing into the hallway above. 

Kate stretched her legs out in front of her, releasing a breath she didn't know she had been holding as the smell of vanilla and cinnamon faded from the room. She felt her breathing going steady as she shook her head, her brows pulling together. "What is happening to me?" She whispered as she locked eyes with Michonne, something about her candidness made Kate trust her a little more than Rick; it helped that she was the first female she had seen since the morning of her camp being ripped apart. The dead didn't count anymore.  
"A few months back, some people in our community started to display symptoms every 4-5 weeks. Some displayed heightened levels of aggression, increase in appetite... Both food and... other things..." Michonne trailed off as she cleared her throat. "Whereas others felt restless, anxiety and a need to be close to other people, specifically those also experiencing symptoms. It gets gradually worse the longer you are around others of your kind and remain... Un-mated." She felt herself cringe at the term and mentally checked off her own list of annoying ailments, more questions than answers ricocheting around her mind.  
"Why did you call me Omega?" Kate asked in a firm voice as she leveled her gaze at the woman in front of her, her confusion giving way to annoyance.  
"You and I are what are known as Omegas and Rick is what we call an Alpha. Alphas are coded to seek out an Omega to which they can bond to. Rick is bonded to me but still can recognise another scent, as can I, but the pull to you isn't as strong. We found you because well.... You're approaching a heat. You're not safe on your own. This is why we came to find you and brought you here. We can help you." Michonne finished, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she sat back in the chair, the wood groaning from lack of use. 

Kate's head whirled as she tried to take in all the information and attempted to make sense of it all. A year ago she would have laughed it off as fantasy, people living like packs of wolves. She also would have sworn the dead would never roam the streets either, but here she was, in a cell, fuck knows where after surviving hiding amoung walkers for months now, because now people were the danger.  
"I- I don't really know what to say. Sounds fucking weird but so did zombies." She barked out a humourless laugh as she contemplated how much she could trust the person in front of her. She had been so alone for so long, a part of her wanted to believe in the safety they had promised after months of living off of adrenaline, little sleep and a collection of rainwater and canned goods. She sighed before she decided to extend a little trust, after all they had brought her into their community.

"My name is Kate. I've been alone for about 3 months now and so this is the first i've heard about all of....this." Swallowing thickly as Michonne nodded at her for her to continue, she shifted her legs to cross underneath her. "I've been followed and attacked before because they can s-smell me. Guess now i know why." She huffed out a laugh as she flexed her sore wrists behind her back. They sat like this for a while, exchanging small pieces of information to allow insight into each other and what society, if you could call it that, was like now. It was more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Kate revealed the bare bones of what she had to; who she was before the turn and what happened after, tidbits of trust being earned and gained by each other. 

"Well if you want, there's a place for you here. You work to contribute like everybody else and there are a few things you need to know but, all in good time. Think we've bombarded you enough today." Michonne offered a smile as she finally stood from the wooden chair and walked over to the cell, surprisingly unlocked, she pulled the door open before she helped Kate to her feet by her elbow, her muscles sighing in relief as the the blood rushed back down through her legs and into her toes, the concrete floor doing her no favours. At that moment she heard footsteps coming downstairs. Rick came around the corner and offered a small smile before he came and stood next to Michonne, reaching slowly around the side of Kate with the keys to the handcuffs. Kate twisted towards him to help as he freed her wrists, she offered a grateful smile as she flexed her wrists and rubbed at her skin. Rick extended his hand to her. "Now we're at a better understanding…. I'm Rick." Kate took his hand in a firm handshake, faking a confidence that she lacked internally.  
"Nice to meet you Rick, names Kate." She replied, breaking the handshake as he started to back up out of the cell and gestured for her to follow with Michonne close behind. 

As they made their way up the stairs, the décor took a sudden shift from basement jail cell to an actual modern classic kitchen. It was the cleanest living space Kate had seen since before the outbreak. Dark oak covered the floor from the kitchen through to an open plan dining room and living area. White cupboards sat underneath black marble countertops, stunning industrial style lights hung low from the ceiling in a row of three over a kitchen island; she was sure if it weren't late afternoon, the kitchen would gleam under the glare of the bulbs. All of this luxury was topped off by the feeling of air conditioning blowing at her clammy skin.  
"Holy shit…." Kate had muttered under her breath as she turned a full circle on the spot, clearly floored by the home that had greeted her. Michonne and Rick just smiled as they led her out of the home and out onto a decked area overlooking what could only be described as a suburban paradise. It was as if the apocalypse had spared this patch of land from the horrors of the outside; had it not been for the steel walls that seemed to surround the perimeter, you wouldn't know that the dead lurked just the other side of the fence.  
"Welcome to Alexandria." Rick had smiled, a swell of pride clear in his voice as they took Kate for a small tour. Everyone seemed friendly and almost happy to see her; she didn't however miss the occasional flare of nostrils as she walked by.

"You were in the basement of my house before so you won't be staying there… you will have your own room but not your own house. We decided to put you with Daryl, he's rarely there these days as he spends most of his time scoutin' for supplies or new people to try and bring in so you might not see him for a while…" Rick explained almost apologetically as they led her up to a small yellow house with white shutters on the windows and a small swing chair creaking in the breeze. "You'll find your room pretty easily as there's only two bedrooms and well… Daryl ain't exactly a house cat. Go get washed up, there's some clothes up there that should sorta fit. Take a look around, settle in. I'll be around." Rick took his leave and headed back toward his house while Michonne waited by as if she had something to say, but wasn't sure whether or not to say it. Before she could, Kate began to climb the steps to the little yellow house, she turned as she reached the door. "Thank you." She offered the most genuine smile she could muster and realised almost painfully, it had been months since she last smiled or allowed herself this much conversation with other people. Before she could respond, she made her way into the house and closed the door behind her, taking in a shaky breath. 

The house was more understated in its beauty than Rick's, but the fact that she would be sleeping in a house with intact doors and windows was something she would never again take for granted. Walking her way around the house, her fingers ghosted every surface from the flush cushions of the couch to the polished wood of the bannister leading upstairs. She took the stairs slowly out of habit, listening for creaks, grunts or groans, but only heard silence. The further up the stairs she got, a smell had begun to seep its way into her senses; sandalwood, citrus and undoubtedly male. Her feet carried her to the open door of a bedroom; the bed was un-made and clothes littered the floor haphazardly. Before she knew what she was doing, she had walked into the room and picked up the edge of the comforter and held it to her nose and inhaled. Kate's mouth watered and she felt a sensation ripple up her spine and spread warmth through her limbs, settling uncomfortably in her bones as she felt a restlessness in her body, shifting on her feet as her body throbbed. Even though it had been explained to her, she still didn't fully understand why she felt this way and what it was her body wanted. The moment she came to her senses and the fact that she was inhaling a stranger's smell through their comforter, she threw it down as if it had burned her and backed out of the room. She sought sanctuary in the other bedroom which had a pretty similar set-up, only the bed was made and the only clothes visible were folded at the end of the bed for her. Kate ran her fingers over the clean material but stopped when she saw the state of her dirty fingernails. It clicked in her head that every home has a bathroom and a bathroom meant a shower. Hope ignited in her chest as she darted into the bathroom, stopping short of the bathtub and pulled back the shower curtain. She reached with a shaking hand as she turned the dial and fresh watered sputtered from the showerhead. Kate gasped as she practically ripped off her filthy clothes and climbed over the lip of the tub, she didn't even bother to wait for the temperature to go up before she stood under the cold spray and began to scrub at her skin. She watched as the water changed colour as weeks of grim was soaped away from her skin. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo she sighed as she lathered it between her hands and the smell of coconut burst through the steam around her. She scratched at her scalp and soaped herself until her tawny skin stung, satisfied that finally, she felt clean. 

Coming out of the bathroom she felt like a new woman; roughly towel drying her long golden strands before sorting through the clothes they had left for her. Fresh underwear was a revelation, even when the elastic pinched at her hips, something despite the months of rationed food had remained stubbornly rounded on her body, she felt comfortable to be in something clean. Kate pulled on the oversized red and cream faded plaid shirt that sat around mid thigh; being only 5ft 3 and it was clearly a men's shirt, she pulled the front tighter around her waist and tied it in a knot before inspecting the denim shorts that accompanied them. Thankfully they weren't too short and were rather forgiving, when she pulled them on they sat surprisingly well on her hips and allowed her legs to finally breath in the sweltering heat without revealing too much. Finally she pulled on her converse before pulling a hair tie out of the pocket of her dirty pants and threw her hair up into a loose bun, tendrils sat at the nape of her neck and framed her face. As she picked up her dirty clothes from the bathroom floor to put back in her own room, she finally caught her own reflection in the mirror. She looked…. Normal. No blood, dirt or sweat stuck her hair to her face, although the dark circles remained under her eyes from lack of sleep over such a long time. The sun had changed her skin to a slightly olive colour and freckles kissed at her nose and cheeks from overexposure. Kate sighed and turned away from the mirror; she may have looked closer to herself than she had in months, but couldn't feel further from the person she was all that time ago.

Once she was satisfied with her appearance and felt confident enough, Kate ventured onto the porch of the house. Not her house, just… the house. She spied the swing from earlier and sat down gingerly as the wooden frame groaned in protest..she pulled herself forward by the tips of her toes and let the swing gently fall backwards, the momentum making the rusty chain squeak. Before long she found herself daydreaming and imagined herself before the outbreak, in any other circumstance she could convince herself that she was just visiting a friend and that she would be going home soon. Home didn't even exist anymore. Her ponderings were interrupted by a tall, slender woman with shoulder length brown hair and bright, intelligent green eyes.  
"You must be Kate, I'm Maggie. Mind if I sit?" She pointed to the space next to Kate and she obliged, shuffling to ease herself as far into the corner as possible as she sat next to her. "Thought you might want a little time before you had any visitors but when I saw you out here curiosity got the better of me." She admitted honestly, a smile pulling at her lips. For the next 30 minutes, Kate and Maggie slipped into easy conversation despite Kate's original aloofness. Maggie just had a way of pulling information out in a gentle way, like someone shushing a startled horse in the midst of a storm. Eventually, they sat in a comfortable silence as Kate considered what it was she wanted to know the most.  
"So this whole Alpha and Omega deal… what the fuck is that all about?" She all but blurted out, startling Maggie and earning a laugh from her before she began to tell Kate what she understood. Maggie had experienced her first heat a few days after she had met her mate Glenn. She described it as a feeling of being anxious, incomplete but also of being immensely unfulfilled. She hadn't expected the physical side of the symptoms since Kate had yet to experience them herself to the fullest extent.  
"When I was around him and not touching him, I felt like my body was on fire. I physically needed to be near him and when I wasn't, it felt like there was an invisible rope between us pulled taut, snapping me into place that only eased when we were together… the only time the bond was ever completely satisfied was when we were yano… together." Maggie emphasised the last word with a quirk of her eyebrow as Kate's eyes widened in realisation.  
"You'll know when you meet them." She reassured, reading Kate's thoughts as she considered what her place in all of this would be. Now she knew that she was Omega, it wasn't a question of if, it was a question of when she was claimed and by the sounds of it, her body would beat her into submission from the inside out whether she liked it or not.  
"If you have any questions, my house is just on the right, the white and blue one… there's food in your fridge if you're hungry but I'm thinking you could use some sleep to mull this all over m'kay?" She smiled across as she stood up off of the swing, Kate returned the smile and waved as she left before taking herself back inside. 

She considered food and felt her stomach growl in protest; although it was empty, the thought of eating made her feel sick. Opting for a good night's sleep for the first time in months, Kate dragged herself upstairs, her feet as heavy as cement. Once she got back to her own room she kicked off her shoes and shimmied out of her shorts. Untying the shirt she flopped herself down onto the mattress face first, groaning aloud as her face found a pillow that was impossibly soft. Being in such unfamiliar surroundings she was sure that sleep would evade her, but within a matter of minutes, her mind drifted to unconsciousness.

Some hours later while Kate laid asleep in her room, a different set of feet ascended the stairs of the home, feather light as they found the way to the threshold of her room. In her exhaustion she hadn't even closed the door. The figure inhaled deeply as pupils dilated and hands gripped the doorframe tightly.  
"Fuck you doin in my shirt?" A voice broke through the deathly silence abruptly, as Kate's eyes flew open.


	3. Us and Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to get more confusing when she meets another member of Alexandria. Wires are crossed and ultimate, Kate is left unsure of her surroundings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, let e know if you have any comments about my writing!  
> 

“The fuck you doin’ in my shirt?” The accusation broke the silence like a hammer against glass, Kate’s survival instincts kicking in as she flew into action and pushed herself up from the bed and onto the floor, picking up the lamp that sat innocently on her bedside table since she now had the realisation that she was never given her pack back, nor her weapons.  
“The fuck you doin in MY room?” was the only response she could come up with, straining to keep the tremor from her voice as her muscles woke from their slumber, the lamp held high above her head as she squinted into the dusky morning light, making out the silhouette of a man in the doorway before he rushed past the threshold and into her person space and towered over her. The dawn light from outside her window flitted in through the thin curtains, allowing her to make out the outline of his face as he crowded her, clear blue eyes stared down at her as his jaw clenched, his lips thinning into a hard line.  
“Watch y’mouth when you talkin to me-” He had growled low in his chest while pointing a finger inches away from her face, the sound resonating inside of Kate as the smell hit her; it was the same as before. Sandalwood and citrus. It was all she could do not to melt on the spot as her pupils dilated and her heartrate picked up from a canter to a full-blown gallop. Something inside of her told her to yield, an unfamiliar sensation that she was not comfortable with. As if sensing her reaction Daryl continued.  
“Don make me ask y’again.” He drawled with a sense of finality, a warning. Kate knew it wasn’t about the shirt, more to do with ‘the fuck is this stranger doing in my goddamn house’. Inwardly she made a note to ask Rick why he would put her in a house with Daryl without telling him and leave his clothes for her to wear. It almost seemed a little too coincidental. She would certainly question that in the morning as suddenly the exchange of glances between him and Michonne at the mention of Daryl now made sense as she remembered something Maggie had said offhandedly the day before…

_“There ain't a lotta Omegas. A few Alphas and plenty of Betas, but not a lot of us.” Maggie had smiled across at Kate as her hands had smoothed down her shirt. “That’s why it ain't safe for you. The longer you force yourself to ignore your heat, the worse it’s gonna get, stronger your scent will get and harder to hide and protect yourself from unwanted attention. Not all Alphas are bad, but there are some that don’t exactly wait for you to reciprocate.” Maggie had looked down at her hands, her feet gently swinging backwards and forwards with the motion of the creaky chain holding the seat up on the porch.  
“My sister, Beth, wasn’t unlike you. Young but a reluctant Omega. Her heat came and she ignored it and ignored it. Tried to use birth control to mask her hormones. Smart but it didn’t do the trick. It became unbearable for her. She said she felt like she couldn’t move and her body had ached so much. She couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink, couldn’t think for days other than what her body had craved and was ready to take it from anyone.” Maggie swallowed thickly before she continued, a slight wobble to her voice catching Kate’s attention.  
“She went out on a run with Carol a few weeks after her fourth heat, Carol is one of our Betas, and Beth never came back, Carol was left for dead at the side of the road as a warning. Another group took Beth. Don’t even know if she’s alive. Don’t know where she is. Just gone, like that.” Maggie shook her head as if still in disbelief before she gathered her thoughts and continued.  
“There are good people here, you just need a chance to see it.”_

Suddenly the conversation and her placement in this specific house in Alexandria had made sense; usually she would be mad, but she could not help but soften at the pull that seemed to vibrate between herself and the stranger in front of her. Kate stood tall and lifted her chin, trying to make herself seem not so small as she remained stoic, her hand still wrapped around the neck of the lamp. 

“Rick put me here. Clothes were left and I was told they were for me, I didn’t just storm into a random house and snatch up your faded flannel.” She gritted her teeth in defiance as her dark brown eyes regarded Daryl closely, seeing a look of humor flit across his features. As quick as it was there, it was gone.  
“Coulda fooled me girly, your scent goes off into my room y’sure you didn’t take a little detour?” the low timbre of his voice rattled inside of her chest as his eyes trailed down her bare legs, her fingers flexing around the lamp still while she considered her options.  
“N-no.” She lied as she watched him tsk before he moved swiftly forward, his chest millimetres from hers as he ripped the lamp out of her hand and twisted the same arm behind her back and captured the other before she had a chance to retaliate. He turned her around and pulled her along and out of her room, along the hallway and outside of his own before he pushed her wrists up her back, making her wince as he spoke next to her ear. Instead of the usual fear that should grip her, she felt heat run up her spine, making her dizzy as she felt his hot breath just caress the side of her neck, his scent filling her nostrils as she took a steadying breath.  
“Y’tellin me that it’s me that smells like goddamn honey, hmn?” He asked and when she didn’t answer, he pushed on her wrists again, making her shake her head slowly as she felt the heat of his body only centimeters from her back, her breath catching in her throat. Daryl let go of her wrists and the loss of contact made her feel a disconcerting amount of disappointment; his skin had been rough but warm on her. Physical contact was not something she sought after these days, but it was strangely welcome after being so touch-starved for so long. Kate rubbed at her wrists before she made eye contact again, straining her neck back just to look at him, dark brown meeting deep blue orbs.

“Rick and Michonne found me and brought me here, well Rick’s and then here. They told me this is my home now too and left me clothes. Was just lookin’ around when I-I…” Kate couldn’t finish her sentence as an explanation failed to form, shame colouring her cheeks. She was thankful for the lack of light in that moment. “I didn’t mean to, I just got curious because the smell was so…. so-” her mouth snapped shut before she could continue. _Good, you smell so fucking good._ She cursed inwardly as she tried to breath through her mouth and not her nose as his smell was everywhere. Her body began to ache as he just stared down at her before he grunted and left the room abruptly, she listened as his feet pounded down the stairs and the front door opened, then just as quick it slammed shut. Dazed and confused, she stood there like a chastised child for what seemed like minutes before her brain told her feet to move again as she was left alone and more confused than ever.

Kate went back to her room to pull on her shorts before she followed behind him but stopped at the edge of her porch and watched as he stormed over to Rick's place, practically swinging the door off of its hinges as he made his way in. She heard voices raised and strained to hear more, torn between it being none of her business but also about her, Kate debated for a while before she decided to make her way in the same direction. She stopped at the edge of the property to try and hear as much as she could but maintain a distance where they wouldn't hear or smell her. Her hearing honed in on Rick's deep voice from the other side of the wooden sliding.

“We caught her scent a few days ago, watched her before we approached. She can handle the dead so it's clear how she’s made it this far alone but… she had no idea about everything else. She didn’t know what she was, Daryl. Kate’s been alone for nearly 4 months and you know as well as I do it’s a matter of time before someone found her and her heat worsened. Just rather it’d be us than...them.” Rick all but whispered as if he didn't want to speak of 'them' out loud. Kate's eyebrows puckered together as she tried to figure out what the fuck was going on. 

“You had no right to just, dump’er in my house Rick you know what you’re doin’? Been around this girl 5 minutes and already I wanna run back to that goddamn house and bury my fuckin face in her goddamn hair.” He hissed as he tried not to raise his voice too loud, embarrassment coloured her cheeks as the thought of him doing that brought an odd sense of satisfaction to her being, her blood humming in her veins.

“Good. That’s how it’s supposed to feel Dar-” before he could continue Daryl cut him off. “Nu-uh that was not your call t’make. You know what you done? Now you wanna make me some lovesick pup cause we both know that’s what happens. I like being alone, I like not havin’ to worry bout someone that can’t take care of their own ass!” Daryl had raised his voice and before he could argue any further, the familiar and feminine scent crept into the room as Kate made her presence known. He spun on his heel to face her, her arms crossed over her chest, still wearing his shirt but at least she had now pulled on some shorts. She was looking at the floor before she levelled a scathing stare at Daryl, it was his first time seeing her face properly, seeing just how dark her brown eyes were and the sunshine hue that stained her skin.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be leavin’. I’ve survived long enough without some Alpha jerk off treating me like a hindrance. Thanks but no thanks, I’ll handle myself.” Kate left halfway through her sentence, shouting the last before picking up her pace as she heard cursing behind her, followed by footsteps trying to catch-up. Whether it was Daryl or Rick, she didn't give a rats ass, she owed them nothing. She made it to the steps of the little yellow house before a gruff response followed her in.

“The hell you will you ain't goin nowhere.” Daryl advanced as she backed her way to the stairs, she had already decided she was going back upstairs, throwing on her old dirty clothes and leaving once she found her pack. She looked him in the eyes as he stood a few steps below her, huffing air out of his nose.  
“Excuse me? I didn’t realise I needed permission to get my ‘unable to care for my own ass’ self outta here. You don't want me here, I don’t need you, so I’m goin.” She sassed him, her anger lending her more courage in front of him than she had had so far. His nostrils flared as he stalked towards her, even stood on the step underneath her; he towered over her as he scanned her face and barked a humorless laugh.  
“You’ll be fine? You don’t even know what your saying-” He pointed to his temple to emphasize his point. “You even know how strong you smell? I smelt you at the goddamn gates, Kate.” The first time he had said her name and her heart thundered behind the confines of her ribcage. She craned her neck to maintain eye contact, but her confidence began to dwindle as she felt his hot breath on her face, his anger at her making her wince.  
“All I could an still can smell is honey like youre covered in it and fuckin peaches… you know what that does to an Alpha?” He challenged as he forced himself to swallow, his jaw clicking as she shook her head, rooted to the spot until he finally backed away as if apprehensive for his own sanity, the space allowing some breathing room for them both. Kate gulped air into her lungs.  
“Your lucky Rick n’ Michonne found you. Other people, they aint so nice and just take what they want. Hell if I was like them I’d have just taken what I wanted by now already.” He shook his head as Kate tried to figure out what he meant, her mouth opening and closing as words escaped her. She didn't understand the feelings of guilt that settled like rocks in her stomach, nor the fire that had started inside of her when she realised the meaning of his words.  
“Need some fuckin air being round you's making me crazy” Daryl had huffed before he stalked back out of the house, taking with him all the tension that had sat thickly around them. For the second time in the space of not even an hour, Daryl had torn his way into her life, dropped bombs of revelation on her and walked out, leaving so many unanswered questions.

Kate made her way upstairs and paced her room as she considered her options, she thought about leaving anyway as she stalked from one end of the room to another, a sudden bout of anger rising in her stomach now that her brain could fully process information away from the atmosphere that surrounded her when Daryl was in the room. She let out a scream of frustration as she threw her fist into the drywall, a small dent appearing around her knuckles as she pulled her arm back and shook it out, a throb building as she stared in shock at the wall. Kate had never been a particularly angry or over-emotional person; her reaction even shocked herself as she stomped to the bathroom and ran her knuckles underneath the cold tap, wincing as she saw the small cuts the plaster had made in her skin, blood circling the drain as it fell away. 

For the first time since the outbreak had happened, she felt truly out of control of herself. Her fear was the driving factor as she made a snap decision, pulling Daryl’s shirt over her head, she grabbed her dirty one and dragged it over her stomach but left her old, frayed denims behind in favour of the shorts. At least she will have gained something from this whole experience. She took his shirt and threw it towards his room as she stomped back down the stairs and out the front of the house and towards Rick’s. If her pack was anywhere, it was gonna be there. 

Kate crept down the side of his house, her back pressed up against the wood sliding as she made her way to a back door she remembered seeing in the kitchen. Peering through the window, she saw that Rick was nowhere to be seen and after listening for a minute, the house sounded empty. Carefully, she twisted the handle as she pushed the door open, thanking the gods mentally as it opened smoothly without so much as a creek. Once in the kitchen, she began to search but didn't have to look for long. Her bag sat on the floor not far from the basement door along with her crossbow, she snatched it up and opened it, surprised to see the snacks she had scavenged the day before and her hunting knife still inside and untouched. Guilt gripped her chest as she realised that if they had wanted to hurt her, they would have. They hadn't even taken her stuff for themselves; she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she walked towards the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water and stuffed them inside before retracing her steps back out of the house. 

She walked with speed and purpose as she made her way to the fence at the back of the property, the only thing now separating her from the outside. Finding a tree that leaned close enough, she wrapped her arms as best she could around the trunk and shimmied upwards, clinging on for dear life as she pulled herself up on a thick branch and swung then gripped the top of the fence, grunting in exertion as she pulled her body weight up before hitching a bare thigh over the fence, careful not to catch her shorts. Kate looked over her shoulder towards the house and the last thing she saw before she dropped down below was a kid in an upstairs window watching her, his head tilted to the side under his sheriff's hat.


	4. Flowers and Flannel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once over the wall, Kate finds her way into a local town but has a few surprise visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One she was over the wall, Kate allowed all the air that she had held tightly in her lungs to escape in one long, steady breath. Looking around her as she walked, she was finally able to appreciate the surroundings of Alexandria; thick trunked redwoods and maple trees dotted the perimeter and the smell of pine hung in the air, a welcome change from the overwhelming scent of people that seemed to plague her in the last few days. It seemed that the more she learned about who and what she was, the harder it became to ignore; now when she was around people she noted scents, recognised people by them and had started to be conscious of her own scent and its effects on people. Being alone even for just those few minutes was like setting refresh on her brain. She walked carefully through the ground, listening for the cracking of any branches, the rustling of leaves or the snapping of jaws; thankfully all she could hear was the hum of the crickets and birds flitting through the pine trees above her. Kate knew it would only be a matter of time before they knew she was gone, she imagined even less time now that an audience had witnessed her escape. Whether the kid rushed to alarm someone or took their sweet time, she had no idea; maybe they wouldn’t come at all, she was nothing but an annoyance to them, right? 

The trees began to separate further as Kate approached a house sat far back from the road, its fence long since trampled by walkers and the paint chipping from the sliding, it clearly had not been cared for in some time as the front door dangled by its hinges and shattered glass lined the underneath of the windowless frames. As she approached the front of the house, she heard the telltale shuffling of feet that belonged to someone that moved without thought and only by muscle memory; moments later a walker dragged its way through the doorway and stumbled down the steps, clothes and skin hanging from its body. Pulling her hunting knife from its sheath that hung from her belt, she ran at the walker from the side and kicked low at its legs, a crack rang through the air as its brittle bones snapped at the knees and toppled over itself. Once it was on the floor, still reaching for her with viciously snapping jaws, it clawed its way onto its belly and towards her. She rounded the back and crouched over it, plunging her knife into the base of its skull with a grunt. Pulling the knife back out, she wiped the knife's edge on the grass next to the walker’s now motionless body before she righted herself and put her knife back in its hiding place. 

Walking through the house it was clear that someone else had beat her to ransacking the place. The dated kitchen cupboards were bare, the floor had dried smearings of blood and anything that was usable had been taken; right down to the batteries in the TV remotes. Huffing an annoyed breath out through her nose after all her efforts, Kate made her way back out to the front when she spotted something hidden in the overgrown grass at the front of the yard. Her first, genuine smile in months had spread across her face revealing her dimpled cheeks as she all but ran over to the bicycle that laid flat on its side, well hidden for some time. Although rusted, the baby pink frame was solid, the wheels were in good condition and the chain by some miracle was still firmly in place. She pulled the bike up and wheeled it to the clearing at the side of the tree line, slightly away from the road.

With a smile plastered to her face, she sighed in content as a breeze whipped at her hair, making it feel just a little cooler on such a hot day. Since she wasn’t under the trees now, Kate no longer had the luxury of shade; sweat began to bead at the side of the face and trickle down the side of her neck. She wiped at it with the back of her forearm as she slowed down where the grass had become thicker. Hopping off of the bike she pushed it along as she spied a small clearing just to the other side of the trees. Out of sheer curiosity she made her way over, her bike pulling alongside her. Another smile pulled at her lips as she noticed the wildflowers growing in the longer grass; It had been a while she had been able to appreciate anything really beautiful after months of dusty and mostly barren land. Allowing herself a moment of enjoyment she sat in the thickest part of the small meadow, laying the bike gently next to her as if not to disturb the picture around her. She sat down and leant back on her hands, breathing in the air that for once didn't smell like rotting flesh, other people, car oil or just plain dirty dust. Laying back just for a few moments, she imagined to herself that the world was once again normal. She imagined that she was just on vacation and had gone on a bike ride through the countryside; her Mother would be at home waiting for her, a bottle of white wine and her favourite risotto cooking on the stove. Her hair spread like a halo around her head as the grass tickled the backs of her thighs. She pulled at the petals from a sprig of bright purple cornflowers, deciding to take it with her, she snapped the stem and sniffed it before sitting up and putting it in her bag before she stood back up and walked her bike back towards the road. Daydreams of vacations in the country with her family were now always going to be just that… Daydreams.

Back on her bicycle she must have been pedalling for 40 minutes before she came across the beginnings of a town; abandoned cars began to litter the roadside as well as pieces of newspaper just drifting by as aimlessly as the dead. Deciding to play it safe, she got down off of her bike and walked it to the tree line before laying it down flat and hiding it under some fallen branches. It was a commodity she very much intended to keep once she had scavenged enough to leave the area and move on. The thought of moving on caused a pain in her chest as she reflected on what she was leaving behind; it may have only been a short amount of time, but some of the residents of Alexandria had left their mark on her. She thought of Maggie’s kindness and honesty as she had explained being bonded to an Alpha and what it meant to be an Omega. Kate remembered the look of sympathy that passed her soft features when she had compared her to her sister. She swallowed past the frog in her throat as she got closer to the town, keeping tight against any walls and cars for cover. Eventually, she found her way into a convenience store, the kind that sold a little of everything. Save for greetings cards, some household cleaner and the odd jar of mustard, the shelves were bare. “Fucking typical. Obviously still too close to Alexandria…” She muttered to herself as she spotted a toppled clothing rack at the back of the store; that’s when she saw the dark red flannel shirt tucked underneath the un-used clothing racks. Kate worried at her bottom lip as she walked over to it and moved the rack out of the way before picking the shirt up, smoothing the fabric between her fingers and thumb.  
_Daryl…._  
For whatever reason, her heart clenched as she remembered his dark blue eyes boring into her with annoyance; how adamant he was that she needed to stay.  
_”If I was like them I would have taken what I wanted by now too.”_ His words echoed in her head as she came to a stark realisation. She wanted to be wanted. It had been so fucking long since she had needed anyone and whilst she didn’t need him, she was scared that in the future, she would. This world was full of uncertainty and her last loss was so great that she hadn’t sought out companionship since; companionship had found her. Kate realised with dismay that she wasn’t ready to let this chance go; in that moment, she made the decision to go back.

Slipping her bag straps off of her shoulder, she pulled the oversized shirt over her plain grey tee and rolled the sleeve up her arms, the material dwarfed her in length and the bottom hung at mid-thigh; at least it would offer her heavily freckled shoulders some shelter on the way back. Kate’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sound of gunshots not so far away.  
“Oh shit.” She whispered as she threw her bag back over her shoulders and crouched to get towards the window and get a look at what she was dealing with. On her way to the window she caught her foot on some loose wiring and falling forward, slammed her head on the corner of some shelves. Kate held her scream inside of her mouth as she felt her eyebrow throb and hot liquid begin to trickle down and into her eye and on her cheek. Clutching her hand to the cut, she wiped the blood away with the palm of her hand while crawling towards the window and looking outside, blood pooling in her lashes. A few streets down she could see a group of four men searching through the surrounding cars having just downed a walker in the opposite direction of where she had come from. At least she could try to retrace her steps back to her bike and then Alexandria, she would only have a small amount of time before they got too close and would notice her. 

Taking a deep breath she slipped out of the store front and behind a car that was only metres ahead of her, her back pressed to the bumper as she peered over the hood of the car, watching their movements before crouching and running to the next car for cover until she got back to the edge of the town. Just as she had reached the treeline, the wind had picked up and began to change direction and before she could realise, she gave herself away. In the distance she heard the voices start to pick up with excitement.  
“Hmmmn well well well you smell that del-ic-ious smell boys? Think we got ourselves a stray.” The voice had laughed loudly, the sound carrying with the wind as clearly, he wanted her to hear him. “Come out, come out… wherever you are!” The man taunted her while she tried to push further into the tree line as they made their way in her direction, making kissing noises as if they were calling a cat home for dinner. 

Just as Kate had darted forward and further into the awaiting redwoods, she felt a rough hand clamp down over her mouth and pull her further into the trees, muffling the scream that had ripped its way from her mouth. Panic set into her bones as her back slammed into a thick tree trunk, panic that soon gave way to relief as dark blue eyes stared back at her before he held his finger to his lips. Daryl removed his hand from her mouth and leant it on the tree up beside her head, leaning in as he peered around towards the group that were approaching. Kate’s breath caught in her throat as she smelt his scent so close to her, his neck straining around the side before he looked back at her. Her mind buzzed as his hand moved from the tree and down to her waist before using both hands to lift her, she looked down at him in alarm as his chest pressed flush against hers, flattening her breasts against lean muscle and her feet dangled below her.  
“What are you doing??” She mouthed, Daryl’s nose was just shy of brushing past her own.  
“My scent is stronger than yours. It'll mask it if I’m close enough.” He whispered, his hot breath fanning against her face before he pulled his eyes away from hers to briefly look around again. The wind had changed direction and it had clearly agitated the group before another gun fired multiple times, making Kate jump despite pulling no reaction from Daryl.  
“We got a herd moving in boys… better get gone… We’ll be coming back for you girly, Negan won’t wait for long!!” Was the last thing she heard from them.

Daryl breathed out a sigh of relief and watched the group leave before he looked back at Kate, annoyance pulling at his features. “Told you not t’go anywhere the hell were you-”  
“I’m sorry.” She whispered, swallowing thickly while still held in the tight grasp of his hands. Daryl flexed his fingers, digging into her waist and making Kate’s pupils dilate and warmth rush between her thighs. She felt Daryl’s breathing speed up as he rested the length of his body against hers, caging her against the brittle bark of the tree as he ran his nose up the side of her neck and breathed in deeply like he was memorising her scent, a small whimper escaped Kate’s lips. “I’m sorry…. please.” She whispered again, her nose nudging the side of his head as if to nuzzle him and ask for forgiveness; she wasn’t even sure what it was she was pleading for as regret filled her body and coloured her cheeks red. The way that Daryl’s jaw flexed gave away that he could smell her reaction before he abruptly put her down and stepped away from Kate like she had burned him. “Just don’t do it again, scared the shit outta me.” The loss of contact made her tremble as she regained her senses.  
Now that the adrenaline had left her body, the throb above her eye returned with a vengeance as she wiped the blood away, it still trickled down into her eyelashes. A wave of dizziness suddenly hit her like a freight train. “Brought you a shirt to say I’m sorry.” She mumbled out a laugh as she tried to step forward, the ground beneath her feet lurching as she felt the edge of her vision begin to blur and her legs give out. Daryl caught her before her body could hit the ground, her eyes blinking furiously as she tried to see straight but wrinkled her nose when she saw multiple versions of Daryl’s concerned face looking down at her.  
“Don’t feel good…” Kate mumbled as she felt her feet being swept from underneath her, her head resting against Daryl's chest and her feet swaying with movement, her blood already sticking to his shirt. “Good thing I got you a new one…” Was the last thing she had said before she slipped in and out of consciousness. Every now and then she would blink up at the sky, her view changing from dense trees to clear skies until she felt their momentum stop. 

“Gonna have to stand now Kate, gotta getcha on the bike. Think you’ll be alright?” He asked with concern and she hummed affirmatively. Daryl gently set her on her feet before slipping an arm around her waist to help keep her up; he used his other hand to hold the bike steady as he kick started it, revving the engine to life. He pulled her closer as he swung a leg over the seat and settled himself in before jerking his head for her to follow suit. Kate placed a steadying hand on top of his shoulder as she slipped in behind him, her thighs bracketing his and her denim shorts riding higher up her tanned legs.  
"Hold on tight, you feel like you're gonna faint or whatever just pull on my arm." He told her as he revved the engine again, waiting for her to hold on. She slipped her hands around his middle tightly and allowed herself to relax against his back, her cheek resting between his shoulder blades as she forced her eyes to stay open. The breeze rushing past them as they flew down the road helped keep her awake, her thighs squeezed tightly on either side of him for fear of falling off or slipping into unconsciousness, the rumble of the bike beneath her running up her spine. She was sure that if it weren't for the roar and vibration of the engine, he would hear and feel her heart hammering against her chest and his back.

After what felt like only five minutes but in reality was more like twenty, they arrived back at Alexandria, signaled by the groan and rattle of the gate opening and being locked back into place behind them. Kate lifted her head to look around and saw Maggie and Rick coming towards them, she groaned when her eyebrow throbbed in response and the motion made her feel sick. The bike stuttered off and leaned as the stand was put in place, Daryl peeled her fingers apart and from around his waist as he stood before turning back towards her and pulling gently at her elbow to help her off. The moment Kate's feet steadied, he picked her back up under her legs and tucked her head under his chin. She had no energy to fight him or prove that she didn't need him, she was just happy he came for her. The sound of feet running and coming to a stop registered vaguely in her mind when she felt Daryl shake his head. "Nah man s’alright I got her." In that moment she just let her head rest against his chest again and closed her eyes.  
"Take her to my house, I'll get her cleaned up." She heard Maggie's voice as they started to walk again. Kate reached up and smoothed at the fabric of Daryl’s shirt for comfort.  
“Daryl….” She groaned as she tried to focus her eyes up at him. “Who the hell is Negan?” Her question hung heavy in the air as she felt his entire body tense beneath her.


	5. Bonds & Broken Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deafening silence that followed her question rang through her ears like white noise; all she could feel was the tension in Daryl's body and the insistent throb of her eyebrow. Blood had now caked between her eyelashes and stained a thick line down the side of her face. She looked a hot fucking mess when pairing that with the sweat from the hot early afternoon sun and the blood splatter from her most recent kill. For a moment, Kate thought he hadn't heard what she had asked, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion as she tugged on the collar of his shirt while he carried her bridal style to Maggie's house. He looked down at her then and regarded her before he answered.  
"S'nobody you need to worry bout' kay Kid?" He replied to her in a gentle tone that took her so off guard, it made her worry more than put her at ease. She didn’t miss the term of endearment and her cheeks coloured a deep shade of crimson; she hid her face back underneath his chin and turned towards his chest.  
_Why is this man so goddamn cryptic? Why won't he just tell me? But also why the hell Kid? I’m 22 and he’s not THAT much older than me, is he?_  
Her skull began to throb with the questions that bounced about unanswered and so instead of pushing the question like she usually would, being as painfully stubborn as she was, she let it go. For now.  
Kate felt herself wince at the feel of her body bobbing when he ran up a set of steps a little too fast; he mumbled an apology before moving aside to let Maggie pass to open her front door. The moment they stepped through the door, she felt a wave of relief wash over her body. The heat was no longer oppressive above her and sapping the energy from her body, the sun was not shining in her eyes and the whole home smelt like lavender and violets. The comfort that surrounded her screamed Maggie and for the first time in Alexandria, she felt more at home than in the room that was given to her in Daryl’s house. There was no pressure here for her to act a certain way or know how she should feel. It was like coming home to a big sister that she never had. 

Daryl walked Kate over to a plush couch that sat in the living room, the cushions underneath her thighs were so soft that she sighed at the contact almost instantly. She leaned back into the cushions and closed her eyes for a few moments, her body feeling so much heavier than when her day had started. She could feel Daryl staring at her through her closed eyelids, she peeked one brown eye open and just as she suspected, he was standing in front of her, watching her. His face was always so unreadable and even though it had only been 24 hours, she felt frustration bubble in her throat.  
“What?” She snapped as she opened her other eye, the bad one, blinking furiously past the blood trying to keep her eye closed.  
“If I leave y’here, you still be here when I come back?” He asked in a gruff, accusatory tone.  
“When you comin’ back?” Kate asked, not wanting to answer the question. She knew she shouldn’t have left. She regretted that she left, the last thing she needed was salt being rubbed into her wounds in the form of his annoyance.  
“S’not an answer, Kid.” He retorted and while flexing his jaw.  
“Yes it is-”  
“Nah it isn’t”  
“Yeah Dar it is-”  
“God you two need to stop, you can cut the sexual tension between you with a knife.” Maggie interrupted with humour filling her voice, Daryl tsk through his teeth as Kate’s face coloured a deep red. Maggie looked between the two of them and laughed incredulously before she sat down next to Kate with a first aid kit.  
“Yeah she’ll be here, wontcha pretty girl?” She smiled at Kate and smoothed Kate’s hair away from her face. The gesture was gentle and the pet name was so disarming that all she could do was nod in acquiescence, looking down at her dirty converse rather than at the two sets of eyes looking intently over her. Maggie got back up and headed to the kitchen, mumbling about how Glenn hadn’t replaced the damn antiseptic wipes after using them, leaving the two alone again in the living room.  
Daryl took a few steps forward to where Kate’s feet were, the tips of his combat boots barely touching hers. She felt a gentle hand on her chin as he pulled her head up to meet his gaze, deep blue eyes looking into brown as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle he’d been stuck on.  
“You gon’be good?” He asked in a low voice and raised an eyebrow in question, her lips parted as she sucked in a breath, his thumb running from her chin and up her jaw and back again in a soothing motion.  
“I’ll be good.” She affirmed and could only watch while his gaze flitted over her face, resting a few times on her mouth, the tiny wolf inside of her that had been trying to make itself known for the past few days finally peaking its curious head out of her consciousness and settling into her present mind, preening when his thumb drifted to the swell of her lower lip as if in a trance.  
Maggie cleared her throat from the doorway before she walked in, breaking the moment between them as if they had been hypnotised and captured in each other's gaze.  
“See you later.” He grunted before he left all too abruptly, Kate pulled her eyebrows together in confusion as she tried to piece together her unusual willingness to comply and sudden need to please a man she barely knew.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Maggie sat back down on the couch next to Kate and got together her supplies. She organised antiseptic wipes, cotton wool, sutures and a bowl of warm water on a small coffee table before gesturing for Kate to face her.  
“I’mma need to see how deep it is first, this is gonna sting honey.” Maggie offered an apologetic smile that didn’t quite reach her green eyes. Kate flinched at the first dab of the wound before she tried to keep still, watching Maggie rinse the cotton wool into the bowl before returning to dab her brow, the water turning a rusty colour.  
“Good news is, it doesn't look too deep so it probably won't swell or bruise too bad, you’ll only need a couple a stitches… Bad news you're gonna have a badass scar on your brow for a while.” She smiled this time in earnest as she cleaned the edges of the wound that were thankfully a pretty clean cut.  
“Who says that’s bad, maybe people will think twice before messing with me if I look like a badass.” Kate joked and tried to wiggle her brow before wincing, they both laughed at the silliness of the situation. She watched while Maggie got the stitches ready and braced as the needle pierced the skin the first time, trying to keep as still as possible.  
“I think he likes you.” Maggie claimed out of the blue; Kate had to fight the urge to whip her head around in shock and scoff at the idea, instead all she could do was worry her lip between her teeth in consideration.  
“Nah, think I annoy him too much…” Kate replied in a quiet voice while the needle pierced her skin again, she felt the edges of her skin pull together.  
“Fact that you annoy him is why I think that. He don't care much about anyone usually, just minds his business and works alongside Rick to keep this place safe and fed. Him coming after you? He wouldn’t do that for anyone else.” Maggie smiled while pulling the last stitch through her skin and setting her tools down, she passed Kate some advil and a glass of water. She didn’t even question it before she downed them both, not realising how thirsty she had been.  
“I don’t understand though… I’m.. I-I’m nobody.” Kate said in a small and confused voice, her hands sat in her lap while she pulled at her fingers nervously.  
“No, no you’re not. You might have been for a while, out there and alone. But you’re somebody. You matter. You matter to him, you matter to me.” Maggie paused and offered a small smile as she tried to get Kate’s gaze away from her hands. “Even think Rick might like you, he appreciates a feisty woman, s’why he’s bonded to Michonne.” The both shared a small laugh and Kate sighed as she finally met Maggie’s eyes.  
“Thank you. Again. Not just for the stitches but for… For just being here. You make me feel like this could be a home. Haven’t had that in a long time. I-I just… Thank you.” Kate stuttered awkwardly though her sentence, she never had been good at voicing emotion. She felt Maggie’s arms around her as she pulled her into a tight hug, her body tensed immediately from being so un-used to physical contact still. Maggie soothed at her back and once some of the tension seemed to release from her shoulders, she held Kate at arms length.  
“C’mon, let's get you cleaned up.” She gestured her head and Kate followed her through the house.

After she had been stitched up, Maggie had insisted that Kate took a shower, claiming that she ‘looked and smelled like hell’, something Kate inwardly grimaced at. After that, Maggie had made her lunch that consisted of a tuna sandwich and an apple; as much as she tried to stomach food, she had barely taken more than a couple bites of each before her stomach protested. It was the first thing she had eaten in days but still she found it harder with each bite, much to Maggie’s chagrin. They compromised in the way of Kate having a glass of orange juice as well to keep her sugar levels topped up. It was an odd sensation to be mothered after so long of being alone; Kate was torn between feeling suffocated and cherished at the same time. After they had finished lunch, they had sat outside on the porch, the sun still shining brightly down on them as Maggie braided Kate’s hair, claiming she was sick of watching her huff her hair away from her eyes every five minutes. After that, Kate had more questions that she only felt comfortable asking Maggie.  
“So earlier, when me and Daryl were… talkin” Kate tried not to blush as she remembered the way he had held her eye contact, asking if she was gonna be good. “I felt like.. Like.. well.. God this sounds so dumb.” Kate’s forehead crinkled as she tried to put into words what it was she needed to say. “It felt like a part of me woke up today…was like another part of me that’s been sleepin’ just…woke up.” Maggie hummed in response and nodded for her to continue. “I f-feel like… I just wanna please him and usually I’m so stubborn and I jus don’t understand. Today when he yelled at me all I could say was I’m sorry but in my head I was screamin’ and wanting to argue an an an I just couldn’t? I can’t think properly when I’m close to him and he acts like I do the same to him.” The words rushed out of Kate’s mouth so quick and stuttered that she startled herself at how honest she had been. She massaged her temples as she felt a headache approaching regardless of the advil she had taken.  
“Honey, that’s what it feels to be an Omega… that need to please comes from wantin’ to please your Alpha even if you don’t have one, your natural instinct is to...obey.” She cringed at the choice of words, but there was no other word for it.  
“As for the ‘being unable to think’ thing… It means you’re compatible, makes your hormones run wild because your body just wants to take over what your mind is overthinking. Probably also means that your heat is gonna be here pretty soon which means it’s gonna get worse.” Maggie offered her a knowing, sympathetic look while she watched Kate down a glass of cold water before clearing her throat.  
“Maggie… What happens in heat if I’m near a compatible Alpha?” A panicked tone took over Kate’s voice, a small tremor in its tone giving away her anxiety at the possibilities. She was terrified he would hurt her; so many other men who had tried to find her when in heat always acted and spoke so viciously, the memories of their words like venom making her stomach turn; the few tenuous bites of her lunch threatening to repeat on her.  
“Well, it all depends on what you wanna happen. When it gets down to it, being around someone compatible means your body will be in overdrive. It wants you to act on your instincts and it's ok if you do. If you don’t, your body will give you a hard time.” Maggie sighed before she continued.  
“Remember I told you about Beth?” She waited for Kate to nod before she continued. “She found an Alpha and it caused her heat to kick in… She refused to give in because she didn’t believe it was real, her feelings and her body just didn’t agree with each other. The more she ignored it, she was in agony. She said she felt like she was burning up from the inside, like she was hollow and raw and that the only thing that could fix it was him and that went on for days without sleep or any kinda reprieve. I know when I’m in heat, Glen is all I want and all I need. If I try to ignore it…” Maggie didn’t finish her sentence, she didn’t need to. The feeling of anxiety bubbled in Kate’s chest and unshed tears swam behind her eyes; she wasn’t scared of what might happen or that she would give in, she wanted to. She was terrified she would want him and he wouldn’t want her back. The burn of rejection would be worse than any unfulfilled heat could ever be. Maggie looked over at Kate and rubbed a hand up and down her arm in comfort, noting how this time, Kate hardly flinched at the contact. Progress.  
“It’ll be ok.” She reassured as she led Kate back into the house and to the couch where she encouraged Kate to lay down, sitting down by her legs and picking them up and putting them in her lap. Maggie looked at the bags that sat heavily under her brown eyes. Kate complied as she felt bone tired but had so many more questions she needed answered.  
“What does the bond feel like?” She almost whispered as she settled her head onto a feather pillow, the weight of her head sinking into the material.  
“Honestly? Indescribable.” She grinned as she clearly thought of her mate before she continued. “When things are good, it’s like you’re in sync with each other. They know how you feel before you feel it, know whatcha need before you need it… Has it’s bad days too, like any other kind of relationship, but it’s like no matter where you go, as long as you’re with them, you’re home.” Kate’s heart clenched at the last word.  
_Home… Having a home would be nice. Would he want a home with me?_  
“Right pretty girl, I’m gonna leave you to take a nap, you look like you’re about to drop off.” Maggie said as she began to get up and move Kate’s legs off of her lap; Kate’s hand shot out in alarm as she grabbed at Maggie’s wrist.  
“Stay with me a while? Til I fall asleep?” Kate felt pathetic at the neediness of her request, but after being alone for so long, she was now having a hard time with her own company. Maggie nodded and smiled kindly, her green eyes softening as she saw Kate’s face relax as she layed back down, her eyes starting to drift closed. Before she dropped off into unconsciousness completely, she had one more question.  
“Maggie… Who’s Negan?” She asked, the name still staying with her since the incident that afternoon.  
“..........Just go t’sleep honey, talk about it later.” Was the only response she offered as she rubbed a soothing pattern up and down Kate’s calf. It was not long until sleep claimed her. She dreamt of Daryl, fire and a faceless man looming over her shoulder. 

\---

When Kate woke up a few hours later, Maggie had been long gone. The spot where her legs had laid on her lap felt cold as she stretched out her limbs, feeling joints click in protest after being afforded relaxation for the second time in 48 hours, a true luxury by current standards. Her headache had eased as she sat up and her throat scratched as if she were parched. Confusion pulled at her features when she looked at the clock thinking she had only been asleep for a few hours after having just a little nap. Her eyes popped from her skull as she saw the clock on the wall; it had been around 4pm when she had fallen asleep on the couch that afternoon and judging by the morning light outside, that clock didn’t mean 7:30pm. She had been asleep for almost 15 hours. Fifteen fucking hours she had been asleep on the couch and not a soul had woke her up; she felt like such a trespasser in the home as she realised they must have gone about their day around her. She also had the dawning realisation that Daryl hadn’t been back, or if he had, he hadn’t come to find her. Kate tried to push past the disappointment that settled in her stomach at the thought.  
_Don’t be so pathetic, he was just being nice making sure you got back and were stayin’._  
She chastised herself internally as she stood from the couch and made her way into the kitchen where she was met with an unfamiliar man eating scrambled eggs while stood at the counter. He tried to chew around his mouthful of eggs quicker when he saw her come in the room. Kate stood frozen on the spot as she tried not to let panic surface as it nipped at her stomach.  
“Sorry-” He continued to chew before washing the food down with a glass of water.  
“I’m Glen, Maggie is already out working and you were sleeping so heavily… I didn’t wanna wake you, you must have been really tired.” He laughed and offered a genuine smile, clearly trying to put Kate at ease. When she focused she could smell the subtle hints of lemongrass that seemed to hover around him, a semll that complimented the sweet scent that always seemed to follow behind Maggie.  
“M’sorry for hogging your couch for so long, I’m Kate.” She smiled timidly before she made her way to the other end of the kitchen and towards the back door, clearly she still wasn’t comfortable around strangers just yet, no matter how friendly their face seemend. Having senses her unease Glen offered a lopsided smile. “Maggie said she could do with your help today around the place, need someone to help take stock of supplies cause Olivia ain't feeling too well.” Glen suggested and Kate nodded in agreement, still edging toward the door. “No problem, I’ll be there.” She agreed before she offered a small wave of goodbye before getting out as quickly as she could without being rude; she heard Glen call out a goodbye as she was already out of the door, guilt twanged in her stomach. 

Heading back to the little yellow house, Kate had decided to get changed before she set about her day since she had already slept in the same clothes she wore the whole day before and then some. She also wanted to know where the hell her pack was since she hadn’t seen it since the incident in the town; all she could seem to conjure up from that was the feeling of Daryl’s hands on her waist and nose pressed against her neck. She felt her cheeks flame at the memory as she bit the inside of her cheek and tried to ground herself; every time her thoughts drifted to Daryl she felt her heartbeat spiral and her thoughts became consumed with question of where he was, what was he doing, did he miss her, did he want her? It was a vicious circle that made her whimper inwardly, the little wolf that had appeared in her consciousness pinning for him, a feeling she was not yet comfortable with. 

Once inside the house again, his smell hit her with such a force that her head almost snapped back as if someone had slapped her, although she could feel without even knowing that he wasn’t home. The same electricity that seemed to follow in his wake was quiet around her. She made her way upstairs quickly and found her room almost exactly how she had left it except her back had been left for her on her bed. Unzipping it, she found the flowers she had picked the day before, crumpled, snapped and wilting. She let out a heavy sigh as she felt a lump form in her throat, it felt silly to be upset about it but she just wanted to remember how at peace she had felt even just for a minute. She needed something to ground herself as her thoughts flew around her mind. Reluctantly, she left the crumpled flowers in an empty trashcan before she set about trying to find herself some clean clothes. Inside of her bag she found her old Led Zepplin shirt that was washed out and faded, pulling off her grey tee she left it on the floor next to her bed before she pulled the clean one over her head. Her eyebrows pulled together as she pulled at the material that seemed to pool generously around her waist; she was sure this used to be tight on her, now she had a few inches of spare material on each side. Kate pulled the material tight on one side before knotting it, her belly button just peeked out between her shorts and the shirts hem; her stomach was considerably paler than her arms, face and legs, she never had been keen on showing that soft fleshy part of her body. Walking into the bathroom she washed her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror; her freckles sat across her whole nose and both cheeks, her eyebrow looked red and angry as it tried to heal from the cut and stitches, but overall, the bags under her eyes were almost gone. There was almost a shine to the chocolate brown iris’ as she watched her reflect like it was someone else. She pulled the braid over her shoulder, noting how long her gold brown hair had grown in the last few months, a few tendrils had escaped Maggie’s skilled hands, but she found that she didn’t much mind the way it made her face look. For the first time in a while, she felt like she looked almost pretty. Almost.

Kate found Maggie in the garage of Rick’s house where all of the stock was held for the town, she was stood with a clipboard checking off items and making notes of anything that was needed or appeared to be missed.  
“G’morning honey, you look so much better after that nap.” She smiled across at her with kind green eyes before she carried on taking count of some canned goods infront of her.  
“Maggie, fifteen hours is not a nap! Surprised you didn’t think I was in a damned coma.” Kate joked as she came closer, looking around her as she took in the fairly well stocked pantry of Alexandria.  
“Anyways, what can I do? I need to do something my body feels… tense.” She stated as she shifted from foot to foot, not realising just how restless she felt until that moment, her muscles twitching with agitation. Maggie glanced at her side on, giving her a knowing look before Kate shook her head at her as if to say ‘Don't’.  
“Well I’m almost finished here taking stock of the food, need to move on to the weapons locker. You can make a start with that.” She handed Kate over another clipboard before she pointed in the general direction of another door further into the garage. Walking in, Kate was stunned with the sheer amount of weapons that were held in front of her. Racks of assault rifles greeted her alongside shelves holding boxes within boxes of bullets and what could only be described as a crate of handguns.  
“Jesus fucking christ” Kate muttered as she looked down at her clipboard before starting with the rifles; at least they all hung in a row and were easy to count. Once she was done with that, she pulled the endless boxes of bullets on to the floor and sat cross-legged as she sought through them, careful not to mix them up. She was so distracted with the task at hand that she jumped when the door opened, expecting to see Maggie, she didn’t even look up as she carried on. It was when she heard the heavy footed thud of combat boots that she looked up, craning her neck as Daryl stood over her. He was already covered in a sheen of sweat and bike oil, Kate breathed in heavily as his smell washed over her, her lips parting slightly in response.  
_This is fucking ridiculous, how can I even feel like this just at the presence and existence of another fucking person?_ She cursed inwardly as she felt the little wolf within her scream for her to get closer to the other person in the room, recognising the smell of an Alpha. Oh yeah, her heat was coming alright. Her legs began to bounce nervously as he just watched over her, at least a minute passed before he said a single word, looking down at her in her little denim shorts and Led Zepplin tee.  
“You look good.” Was all he said, her face turned a shade of red as if he had done so much more than pass a kind comment, because that’s all it was, right?  
“T-thank you.” She swallowed hard at the lump that sat in her throat.  
_I missed you… Wait.. What?!_ Her thoughts made her feel so confused and needy, the look clearly crossing her face.  
“Can hear how hard your thinkin’. Get outta your head… What you thinkin bout?” He said to her softly as he watched her stand and shake out her limbs, the blood rushing back to the toes as she curled them in her converse. Before she could think about what she was about to say, she had already said it, the little wolf in her almost smiling slyly as she got her way.  
“You.” She whispered and she prayed he didn’t hear it, but he did. The moment she started to feel regret settle in her stomach, he moved towards her and put his hands on each side of her face, using his thumbs to tilt her head back and force her to look at him, her eyes searching his.  
“Good.” She felt him growl and the sound was so deep that she felt the rumble from his throat in her chest and roll down her spine. She felt her knees weaken so she grabbed on to his wrists that held either side of her face and kneaded at them with her fingers, urging him closer to her. He pulled her closer while his hands snaked from the underneath of her jaw and down to settle on the column of her throat, her breath caught in her throat when he gently squeezed and she remained frozen in his gaze. Kate’s breath stilled in her lungs as he moved closer, his head dipped down as his nose grazed the shell of her ear and hair surrounding it before inhaling deeply,  
“You smell so fucking good, like fuckin honey and sunshine…” His breath fanned the side of her face and her eyelids fluttered closed, all the while trying to hold back a whimper that threatened to escape her mouth. Kate looked back into his clear blue eyes and saw that he was battling with himself; stuck between sinking his teeth into her and devouring her whole or running for the hills and never turning back.  
_I need you, I need you, I NEED YOU_ A voice chanted inside of her head, but she did not recognise it as her own or where it came from. She felt the heat of her body begin to rise as she pushed herself on to the very tip of her toes, all she knew was that she needed to be closer to him or she was going to combust. A moment of mutual longing seemed to pass between them for minutes and for the first time, Kate gave in to what her instincts were telling her. She gripped the back of his neck and crushed his lips down onto hers, his grip on her neck tightened and this time, she had no control over the needy noise that pushed its way past her lips, allowing room for his tongue to slip past hers and lick tentatively into her mouth. The moment she felt it, it was like a fire had been ignited within her belly; she pulled at the strands of hair at the nape of his neck, earning a growl from Daryl before he ripped his lips away from hers and pushed her back, she stumbled, hitting the crate of handguns she should have been counting.  
“I gotta go.” He said barely above a whisper and he spun on his feel before he stalked out of the armory. As quickly as he had lit a fire within her, the rejection of his exit was like ice being thrown on her. Tears welled within her eyes as she stood there with a bright red face coloured by shame and embarrassment. She began to sob as she allowed herself to slump to the floor, tears staining her cheeks and her eyebrow pinched as she felt the stitches pull at her skin. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she buried her face away from the sound of gentle footsteps and a soft sigh that fell from Maggie’s lips and filled the silence that fell between Kate’s cries. She felt truly and utterly pathetic and rejected, the little wolf in her mind howling in pain as her chest constricted. Maggie sat down next to Kate on the floor, a gentle arm wrapping around her shoulders as they sat in silence and let her cry it out. After a while, without requiring an explanation, Maggie helped her up and they finished the stock-take together in a comfortable silence. She didn’t push her to tell her what was wrong and for that, Kate was grateful; she didn't think she could take the embarrassment of re-living the rejection so soon. It took them both until after 2pm to finish taking stock of the whole pantry and armory, a heavy sigh left Maggie’s mouth before her voice boomed, making Kate jump beside her.  
“Well I don’t know bout you, but after a hard day I could use a cold beer.” Maggie pulled her along by her hand as gentle encouragement, but she needed little encouragement after the suggestion of ‘cold’ and ‘beer’ in the same sentence; although they had been sat in the shade, the heat was again stifling. Kate nodded enthusiastically, a smile pulling at her mouth that didn’t quite reach her still red-rimmed eyes.They left Rick’s and headed over to Maggie’s just as they saw Daryl leaving the little yellow house, they locked eyes from across the path and her steps faltered. Her heart nearly shattered when he looked at her with no reaction and kept on walking, paying her little mind. Kate bit down on her lip as she tried to ignore the need to run back in his direction and demand an explanation but decided against it. He didn’t owe her anything, she wasn’t anything to him.  
_You are nothing._ The words rang in her head as she forced the feeling down, pretending she was unphased by the whole ordeal. She was sick of feeling weak and vulnerable.

Once back at Maggie and Glen’s house, a few people were already gathered in the kitchen and they greeted her warmly. For the first time she met Tara who she warmed to immediately; she had a weird sense of humour that she just...got. Her face was always so kind as she tried to make the people around her laugh. Then there was Abraham, a huge red-headed tank of a man that although commanded attention when he spoke, being the natural Alpha he was, was funny as hell with the words he came out with, his mate Rosita often rolling her eyes but laughing anyway. The whole afternoon got away with her as for the first time, it was filled with genuine laughter and no tension or thoughts of the outside world and it going to shit. It was the first time since her camp had been destroyed all those months ago that she had felt even a tiny bit at ease within a large group. It wasn’t long before the beers were running out and after belly laughing at Tara trying to arm wrestle Rosita and various swear words being thrown about in Spanish, Kate threw her hands up in the air.  
“Ok ok I gotta go sleep, I can’t drink anymore if I wanna be useful tomorrow.” Kate declared as she stretched off when standing, not realising how long it had been since she last actually stood, stumbling a little and giggling quietly.  
“You gonna be ok getting home?” Tara had asked as she knocked back another beer. Kate waved her hand dismissively. “I only live over the road, I won't get lost.” She joked before saying goodnight to everyone, a genuine smile rested easily on her face as a pink hue remained on her cheeks from the alcohol. She was thankful the walk was only short back to her house, the air was still warm but considerably cooler and she took the steps an awful lot slower than she usually would. She hesitated at the door as the day's events suddenly came crashing in on her; she pushed her feelings down and to the back of her mind. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he had burned her with his casual indifference; maybe they weren’t so compatible as everyone seemed to think.  
Kate forced herself to breathe through her mouth as she went up the stairs, her tentative emotional state couldn’t handle his scent, especially after a few beers. Finally she reached her room and sighed with relief when she pushed the door open. Her heart stopped when she looked at her bed; left neatly on top of her pillow was his faded flannel shirt and a bunch of fresh-picked, bright purple cornflowers. She all but ran to her bed before ripping off her clothes and pulled on the flannel shirt, it dwarfed her in the familiar way that made her heart swell and still the moment his scent filled every ounce of her being. She crawled onto her bed and stayed on top of the covers, pulling her pillow beside her she hugged herself around it. She fell asleep surrounded by him even in his absence, playing with the petals of her favourite wildflowers.


	6. Stranger Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> COVER YOUR EYES CHILDREN.
> 
> All aboard the slightly smutty pain train.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next morning when Kate woke; she knew that something was wrong. Her mind was crudely ripped from nothingness to consciousness at the feeling of her body beginning to catch fire; her body was covered in a layer of sweat making the clothes swaddling her body stick to her uncomfortably like they were suffocating her. Her head throbbed in protest as she tried to sit up, she hadn't drank that much last night, had she?

When she really sat and thought about it, she realised these last few days she had been more lethargic than usual; sleeping through the night had been unheard of for her for so long, and then there was the 15 hour nap. This was not good. She knew what was happening to her but it had never been this bad before. Her body felt like a raging inferno as she stripped all remaining clothes from her tense body. Kate all but thrashed in her bed sheets as not a single position seemed comfortable, the once soft cotton underneath her was now chaffing her skin like sandpaper. She forced herself up from her bed and stood completely naked, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she had just ran 5 miles rather than getting up and out of bed. In her despair, she blindly walked to the bathroom fully nude, leaving the light off but locking the door behind her and tentatively reaching for the shower. 

The moment the cold spray sputtered to life, she forced her legs to move over the lip of the tub as she sat herself down in the cold ceramic, the dramatic change in temperature offering some relief. She sat under the cold spray until her fingers and toes began to prune; what had felt like only minutes to her in reality was more like an hour. When she heard the sound of someone knocking at the bathroom door she barely even reacted, she just sat there with her knees hugged up to her chest as she willed the painful ache between her legs to just disappear.  
The sound of knocking gave way to a fist fully hammering on the bathroom door and making the wood shake inside the frame, still it pulled little reaction from Kate; she stared at the tiles in front of her, cold water cascading down her sunkissed arms, face, neck and legs. The only time her eyes snapped out of their fixation was the moment that the bathroom door collapsed in and away from the frame, splinters flying through the air and littering the bathroom floor. 

There, stood at the threshold was a wild eyed Daryl, his chest heaving with effort when his gaze landed on her naked form folded in on itself under the shower. She looked so vulnerable and lost but when her eyes found his, it was like being found in a crowded room after hours of searching. His hands twitched at his side when her scent swirled around him at full force like a sweet embrace; the moment he had stepped into the house he knew that something was different, Kate's usual scent was so much stronger that he could practically taste it in the air the moment he stepped foot back in Alexandria. He didn't even offer an explanation as he left Rick at the gates, although since he could smell it too, it wasn't hard to guess what was happening. 

After gathering all the self control he could muster, Daryl stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a towel from the cabinet under the sink, he shook it out before he crouched next to the bathtub and looked down at Kate. Still at this angle he was taller than her and he desperately tried to train his eyes not to greedily take in what she had to offer. Her eyes looking into his, pleading for something she didn't understand. Reaching up and above her head he switched off the shower, a whining noise leaving the back of her throat when the familiar scent of sandalwood wafted over her.  
"C'mere, I got you." He murmured thickly as he put a towel over her shoulders then pulled at each of her hands, trying to get her to stand. A growl rumbled in his chest as she stood on shaking legs completely naked, she didn't have it within her to pull the towel around her shoulders and cover herself, she was too hot in that moment to feel any shame at all. 

Daryl pulled her hands towards him and she placed her palms on his shoulders, stepping gingerly out of the tub before allowing her bodyweight to collapse into his chest. Before the movement registered in her brain, she nuzzled her nose against his chest and the little wolf within her psyche hummed with satisfaction. The thought of her being completely naked in front of him barely phasing her, considering not even a day ago, he had rejected her so harshly; all she could think of now was the need to have his hands on her, it didn't matter where she just… needed him. 

As if sensing her thoughts, his hands moved away from hers and moved to hold each side of her head and pulling her away from his chest, she whined in protest even as his fingers tangled their way into the wet strands of her sandy brown hair and forced eye contact on her for what felt like the thousandth time in the last 72 hours. This was madness. It had been 72 hours and already she felt as if she could not possibly be away from him, the needy wolf within her rearing it's unwelcome head as she pulled at the shirt on his chest, fiddling at the buttons of his shirt and trying to prise it open, needing to see anything of him.  
"S-stop" he muttered, although the usual authority he had was not in his voice, the request not convincing either of them in the slightest. Kate ignored him as she continued to open his shirt, almost giddy when his chest began to peer though, although the inferno that licked at her skin meant that the hunger was barely registering anything near satisfaction.  
"I said stop… this means something different for me than it does f'you." He said with a voice laced with what sounded close to anxiety while he captured her small hands and pinned them behind her back, one hand easily encircling both of her thin wrists. A scream of frustration bubbled in her throat, the filter she so carefully held in place around him slipping as she gritted her teeth and unshed tears swam behind her eyes.  
"W-what? If you just don't want me then just grow some balls and say so damnit rather than just staring at me til I feel so goddamn pathetic all the time!" Her chest heaved up and down as her anger from the last few days made itself known.  
"Y-you put your hands on me and run away, kiss m-me like I mean somethin' an you leave like it was a fucking disappointment before leaving flowers an y'clothes in my bed!" She screamed at him with a rage she didn't know she had locked within her. 

Her body began to tremble with unspent energy as her lust turned quickly to white hot fury, not even the glare he offered down at her cooled the hot coals that stared back at him.  
"Y'you don't want me it's fine! I'll find someone that does jus-" before she could finish her sentence her feet were moving backwards with his momentum, her hot back slamming into a cold tiled wall making her breath leave her lungs in a hot rush.  
"You think this is cause I don't want you?" His hissed out in exasperation, his words jarred her as one of his hands remained clamped around her wrists, the other grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger and yanked her head backwards, meeting his stare while his chest crushed against hers, her nipples pebbling painfully at finally having some contact with the Alpha in front of her. He forced his denim clad thigh between hers and pushed up against her centre, all of the air in the room felt as if it had been sucked out by a vacuum. With a deft roll of his hips, she felt the evidence of his own arousal rub against her stomach and she whimpered in response. He bent down so his mouth was level with the shell of her ear.  
"That feel like I don't want'cha baby girl?" He cooed while the hand that was holding her face travelled down her neck to her chest, ghosting over her nipples before grabbing the curve of her waist and kneading it restlessly in his calloused hand. The sound of the pet name bounced around inside of her head like a ricotcheting bullet.  
_Baby girl…. I like that._  
The little wolf within her preening at his response and trying to urge herself forward to meet the Alpha within him calling out to her. 

"Everytime I walk through this damn place, all I smell is you. Go outside to get'way an everything I see is you. I get anywhere near you an I feel that lil wolf inside of you, crying for me an nobody else can hear it." He let a stuttered breath leave his body as he pushed his thigh up and slid it back and forth, the evidence of her arousal soaking into his jeans and making him groan.  
"Me takin' you is it for me. Don't think you're ready f'that…" he warned and watched her throat bob up and down as she tried to swallow past the dryness in her mouth. A long moment was shared between them as they stood in a pregnant silence, Kate was the first to breach the gap.  
"Please Daryl…" her bottom lip trembled before she continued. "It hurts, my whole body hurts." She sobbed at the last word as she tried to roll her own hips forward, only to be trapped by the hand that sat readily on her hip bone, pinning her into place. In a move that was so childish that she barely recognised herself, Kate stamped her foot on the floor, her foot catching on the splinters that dusted the tiles bathroom floor, earning a dark chuckle from his chest.  
"Y'not ready-"  
"The hell I'm not, you're the one s'not ready. You frightened your gonna need me right back." Kate croaked in reply, the truth of the statement staggering them both. He let go of her hip to hold a finger of warning in front of her face.  
"Watch your mouth when ya talkin'-" Too blinded by her frustration she stood on her tip toes before nipping at the tip of his finger in challenge, one he met immediately. Using the hand that still gripped her wrists behind her back, he spun her around and pressed her naked chest against the tiles with her arms held above her head, his body molding around hers. His head rested against the juncture between the curve of her shoulder and the nape of her neck, exposing it to the air around them he pushed her still wet hair over the opposite shoulder with his mouth pressed to the hot skin. Kate's entire body tingled with electricity as the lightest of contact sent such a wave of pleasure over her that her heart stilled in its place. She felt him taste her skin and her eyes fluttered closed, rolling back in abandon while she tried to arch her back against him, seeking friction anywhere.  
"Y'know how easy it'd be for me to just do it now…" he pressed his mouth firmer to the back of her neck making gooseflesh spread over the expanse of her skin, right above her adrenal gland.  
"If I bit down on here while I fucked you against this wall, you'd be mine an there's no turnin' back from that." He ground out between clenched teeth, clearly it was taking everything within him not to do just that. In that moment, Kate felt panic within her stomach and she knew that he was right. It wasn't that she wasn't ready, she just didn't believe herself to be enough.  
_Mine. His. Home. Mine. His. Home._  
It was a beautiful thought, but months of being alone and years before that of never being enough for the other men in her life made her throat construct painfully. The pain of loving someone and not receiving that love back was a pain that she would not survive. She had felt alone and hollow for too long, her little wolf crying for physical attention.

"Just… m-make me feel somethin. Make it go away, just for a while. Please." She practically begged him and felt him heavily sigh against her skin. He kept one hand firmly fixed on her wrists as his other hand trailed wildfire down her side before it curled around a firm breast, pinching her rosebudnnipple gently between his fingers and making her hiss in appreciation. He chuckled while he massaged the supple flesh and Kate leaned her back against his chest. Slowly, he inched his hand lower, dipping just below her belly button and halting just above her pubic bone.  
"You want my hands on you?" He demanded, his voice muffled with his mouth pressed against her shoulder! Kate seemed to have lost her voice, she nodded rapidly in reply.  
"Uh-uh use your words baby girl I need to hear you say it." He could feel she was already at combustion level, but he needed to be sure.  
"Please, please p-please." She chanted, feeling the smirk pull at his mouth that rested at the back of her neck.  
*All you had to do was ask." He breathed out as his hand dipped lower and cupped her centre, a sharp breath escaping Kate when he wedged his foot between hers and kicked them further apart, exposing her fully. He allowed his index finger to trail through her folds and groaned when he felt how soaked she had become, coating down the inside of her thighs.  
"Look at you, so good and ready for me…" he cooed in her ear as her tiny wolf preened at the praise, rewarding her by adding his forefinger and dragging them both up and down her slick lips before drawing a slow circle around her clit, she bucked wildly in response and searched for more friction. The tension in her belly burned out of control as the slightest of pressures sent her soaring. He let go of her hands and moved a hand to the column of her throat, holding her in place gently, the new freedom of her wrists allowed her to relax her shoulders somewhat, choosing to wrap her arms behind her and around the back of his neck, urging his mouth closer to the side of her neck. 

Daryl began to pick up the pace, occasionally slowing and dipping his fingers back to her entrance, using enough pressure to make her think he was going to enter her before retreating, earning breathy curses from her mouth.  
"D-Daryl please I can't take it." Her face burned from embarrassment as she begged him for her release, lewd, wet noises filling the quiet bathroom between her mewls.  
"Sshh I got you." He murmured before taking her earlobe in her mouth and picking up the pace, his hand slipping easily from her arousal. Kate's entire body tensed as she neared the edge of diving head first into oblivion and just as she thought he couldn't get any better, he slipped his fingers into her entrance and pumped fast while his thumb pressed and rubbed at her clit. Her head threw back in blissful abandon as the dam broke, fresh arousal releasing in a gush between her thighs and soaking into his jeansa and trickling to the tiles below. He squeezed gently at her throat as she wailed in pleasure, her vision going white at the edges as she tried to catch her breath and regain her senses. She sagged against him, her muscles finally relaxing for the first time in what felt like hours. 

Finally, he turned her back around and without saying a word, he gripped the back of her thighs, picking her up and pressing her head to rest on his shoulder while he carried her back to her bedroom, her legs wrapping instinctively around his waist. When he reached her bedroom, he kneeled down, placing her on the edge of her bed and picked up his shirt she had pulled off when she awoke, noting how she seemed so much calmer, not as hot and tense. He pulled the sleeves up her arms and fastened a few buttons before he encouraged her to lay down on the bed, which to even her own surprise, she did with no fight. When he got up to leave, her hand shot out and grasped his wrist.  
"Please don't leave me." She looked up at him with unintentional puppy dog eyes, her little wolf curling in on itself at the possible loneliness that was about to creep in at his absence.  
"I'll be right back, you've opened up your cut… need some butterfly stitches from Maggie's. Promise." He smoothed her damp hair away from her face and let his thumb trail down towards her plush lips.  
"Promise?" She croaked and he nodded in response, bending and placing a kiss to her forehead before he left. 

Kate basked in the afterglow of her release, the little wolf within her was only marginally satisfied as she craved the full affections of an Alpha, but it would do, for now. As she contemplated the complications of their entanglement, she heard the sliding of a window in an adjoining room in the upstairs of the house.  
"Daryl?" She called out, but received no response. Her heart rate began to pick up at the sound of well-placed footsteps, she sniffed the air for his usual scent and found nothing. Panic bloomed within her chest. It wasn't Daryl. She saw the shadow before he stepped in to the doorway, shaggy blond hair framed his thin face where one side was marred with a painful looking scare, he looked strangely calm for someone breaking into an entire community during the apocalypse.  
"Get. Out." She ground out between her teeth, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. She hadn't been in Alexandria for long, but she knew he hasn't one of them. She went to grab her pack from the floor, knowing her hunting knife was in there but before she could he had run full force into her side, knocking the wind from her lungs and pinning her to the floor by her throat with both hands.  
"I've been sent to give you a message. Don't wanna hurt you." He panted with exertion as he tried to keep her pinned in place, Kate clawed at the good side of his face and surged the heel of her hand upwards into his nose, a sickening crunch was followed by blood rushing from his nostrils while he flew backwards.  
"Fucking...shit! Negan wants you to know he's comin' for you." He shouted as he wiped the blood from his upper lip and onto the sleeve of his shirt. Kate froze on the spot, this was the second time that name had been used.  
"Who the fuck is Negan?" She rushed out in a whisper, afraid of the answer to a question that nobody seemed to want to answer.  
"You'll see soon enough. He's coming to take care of you, so I wouldn't let anyone touch what's his until then." He barked out a humourless laugh as he looked her up and down, the realisation that she was only in Daryl's shirt with no underwear making her feel that bit more vulnerable. Before any further questions could be answered, they heard Daryl burst through the front door and advance up the stairs. The man made a move for her and held her in front of him like a shield as he pushed her out of her own room and backed towards Daryl's where the breeze of an open window could be felt. She swallowed hard as she felt cold steel press against her throat as Daryl came to the top of the stairs, halting his steps when he saw Kate being dragged backwards with the knife pressed tightly to her jugular.  
"Delivered my message man, let me go and nobody gets hurt." He drawled as he moved backwards and rounded the corner into Daryl's room, he moved to follow but was interrupted.  
"Don't think so man, jus'wait there a damn minute an I'll be gone." He stated in a patronising tone as if talking to a child. Once he reached the window he stopped moving.  
"You let anyone touch you, he'll kill them and then you. Heed the warnin' lil girl." He whispered before he threw her forwards and dove out of the window and onto the tree outside. 

Kate scrambled to her feet and watched him jump down the tall fence and land on something that groaned, the bed of a truck. How the fuck they had slipped past the guard on duty was beyond her, but it seemed that this was the least of her problems. Daryl came barrelling into the room, looking wildly around and then following Kate's gaze out of the window and watching taillights disappear into the afternoon. She could practically feel the rage rolling off of him in waves.  
"What the hell was that?" He shouted next to her, making her visibly flinch. Kate stood still and didn't turn around as her hands clenched around the window sill, her knuckles white at the strain.  
"Kate!" He shouted, desperate for her attention as his hands pulled at her waist and forced her to turn around, he hands cupped either side of her face as deep blue search dark brown eyes.  
*Did he fucking hurt you, he touch you? I'll fucking kill'im!" He ranted frantically, practically on the verge of throwing himself out of the window and following the very same truck that had created dust clouds in its hasty exit. Kate clenched her jaw before she spoke  
"Who. Is. Negan?" She punctuated each word, it was time she was afforded some damn answers.


	7. Life's Peachy

There was a buzzing in the background of Kate’s ears; she could see people moving around her, a lot of hands waving, gesturing and pacing, but nothing really seemed to register. She sat staring blankly into the unused fireplace of Maggie’s place; Maggie on one side of her, Tara on the other, both holding on to her reassuringly. When she had asked Daryl for what felt like the thousandth time who the hell Negan was, the reaction she had received was not what she had anticipated; to put it bluntly, Daryl blew a fucking fuse. Hands that had been so gently holding her face as if she were cherished and delicate pushed her back against the wall. He was frantic as he barraged her with questions. Who was he? The fuck did he say? Did you say anything to him? His reaction in that moment had told her all she needed to know. This was bad. Really. Fucking. Bad. Kate had skirted around the facts when she had shared what she knew, his fury at another being in the same room as her was bad enough, had he known what the message he delivered was, she knew he would have left there and then, consequences be damned. Kate had dressed herself, having only been in his shirt before the intruder came, another thing that had sent him flying over the edge. All of this she did in auto-pilot, barely casting a glance at Daryl as he watched her like a hawk. Something in their relationship had changed in those fatal five minutes. She didn’t know how, but she knew that things were going to be different.

So here she sat, being comforted by Tara and Maggie while Daryl paced in front of them, angrily telling Rick that they had to make the first move. Take all their fire power, burning the place to the ground and kill anyone that came into contact with them. The sheer level of violence he wanted to instil at the mere suggestion of someone taking her made her stomach roll; whether it was from the thrill of his possessiveness or his disregard for the living, she couldn’t discern. At this point Abraham had filtered into the room, suggesting methods of assault as all the men seemed bloody thirsty to get something started. Most hadn’t paid a single bit of attention their way, Kate’s croaking voice not registering with anyone other than Tara and Maggie.  
“He took her didn't he?” She murmured looking to Maggie with glassy eyes. Maggie’s lips thinned into a line as she realized that the truth could no longer be withheld.  
“Negan’s men took Beth, didn’t they?” She said a little louder this time, capturing the attention of Rick despite Daryl’s continual pacing. Finally, an answer was given in the form of a hesitant nod from Maggie, careful green eyes gauging her reaction.  
“Why did nobody tell me?” Kate’s voice increased in volume and all movement in the room stopped. Tara squeezed her hand and gave her an apologetic glance showing she clearly felt just as guilty for not offering information that Kate should have known.  
“You all been playin’ happy families like those men-” She pointed towards the wall that towered the backyard, visible through the large windows of the kitchen.  
“hadn’t told me that he was comin’! You knew that and I asked 3 of you people here and not one of you could sack up and tell me?! You don't think that was information I deserved to know?” Maggie tried to calm her down, with a soothing hand to her back; she flinched away as if she had burned her and stood up, batting the hands that tried to comfort her away; their betrayal made the bitter taste of bile rise in her throat.  
“I’m on a fucking countdown to someone takin’ me the way they already took one of your own an I asked and you all fucking knew!” She screamed this time, silent tears began to roll down her cheeks as her frustration boiled over, her heat long forgotten as the emotional pain rolled over her. She felt arms envelop her from behind as her body became racked with sobs, the emotion from her heat, her encounter with Daryl and then the betrayal of people who pretended to be her family suddenly bearing down on her all at once. The scent of sandalwood pressed into her skin as Daryl held her; others that were in the room began to filter out and offer them some privacy. He shushed her and rocked her as she fought him at first, hands pushing away at his arms uselessly.  
“M’sorry. M’sorry. You ain't goin’ nowhere.” He repeated as a mantra as much to himself as to Kate. The fight left her when his nose nuzzled into her hair, his body curled over hers protectively. He turned her in his arms the moment he felt her muscles begin to relax. One hand holding the back of her head with fingers tangled into gold brown hair, the other rubbing circles into the bottom of her back as he crushed her to his chest.  
“Y’mine. You hear me?” He growled with a violence that sent a shiver down her spine, his hands moved to cup her face as he held her head up, forcing eye contact against her puffy brown orbs.  
“Y’don’t understand-” She tried to cut in, pushing down the anxiety that wrapped around her vocal cords and made it almost impossible to force the words out.  
“Doesn’t matter. Nothin’ matters other than you being mine and you ain't goin’ nowhere.” He spoke with such conviction that she knew that what she was going to say next would break his heart.  
“We c-can’t Daryl. S’too late.” She sniffed, her hands holding on to his wrists and trying to ground herself before she continued.  
“They’ll kill you, then me and probably everyone else.” Kate shook her head as she tried to pull his hands from her face and create some distance.  
“I don’t care” He all but screamed, his fingers digging into her locks as he pulled his face close to hers, his eyes searching her face for answers.  
“...I do.” She croaked while her fingers linked between his and squeezed hard with desperation, trying to feel something other than anxiety.  
“We’ll figure it out, even if we have to leave we’ll figure it out.” Daryl reassured her before he pulled her mouth to his in a needy, heated kiss. She kissed him with everything she had, she poured in her desperation, her need, but most of all her regret. She regretted meeting him just to know that she would have to be taken away. She regretted becoming attached when it was only going to serve to hurt those around her. She regretted that she knew she had to leave without them knowing and never come back. It was the only way that everyone remained safe and she kept her freedom. Even if it was a lonely life on the run, at least she would have no blood on her hands other than the dead’s.

It was decided that while the threat reamined over their heads, the safest place for Kate to stay was at Rick’s; it was at the centre of town and away from any main walls surrounding the perimeter and since the tree at the back of the garden had been cut back from her last escape, there was no way someone could just hop the fence without a guard being alarmed. It physically pained her to be away from Daryl when her heat had only just started and it was so much worse than before. Her body felt like lava ran through her veins, her skin sensitive to the touch and the apex of her thighs throbbed painfully for hours a day. It had been 3 days since she had last seen anyone that wasn’t Carl, Rick, Judith or Michonne; she had refused to listen to the excuses that Maggie had to offer, her betrayal stung the worst since she had point blank told her who Beth was, all the while she had asked her to her face who Negan was and she omitted the truth. She refused to see Daryl, knowing full well that if she did, she would give in and let him talk her into whatever plan he thought would work. Nothing would work that involved a fight because regardless, people were going to die and it would be her fault. The second day she had refused to see him, she heard a fight break out between Rick and Daryl, the guilt ate at her insides as she heard him shouting. His words echoed in her head as she sat upstairs in Judith’s room, playing with a stuffed bunny and keeping the baby girl entertained.  
_”She don’t know what she wants Rick she’s too goddamn scared!”_ In that moment, she knew that he wanted her to hear him, the challenge in his voice begging her stubborn side to storm down the stairs and fight with him; if she fought him it meant there was a chance. It made her heart ache every time she thought of him, of the life she had dared to imagine she could have had; it was all useless daydreams and she felt foolish for ever thinking that her life would ever end with a semblance of happiness or completeness. 

The fourth day at Rick’s saw the end of her heat; her body finally coming back to life as she felt hungry for the first time in days, her body didn’t sweat profusely and she was able to close her eyes without sordid images plaguing her mind and begging her to run to Daryl’s and start what they hadn’t finished. She knew that if she went to him now, he would never turn her away; but that’s what she was afraid of. His devotion would kill him and it would be her fault; even if she only had to live with that knowledge for a small amount of time, it wasn’t something she was prepared to do. Finally deciding to do something other than hide out with Judith since her body now functioned, she dressed in the bathroom and away from prying eyes. Kate pulled on her Led Zeppelin tee, sighing when she smelt the subtle hint of sandalwood, filling her head with memories of their moment in the armory. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she pulled the loose material at the front and tucked it into her shorts. She laced up her trusty, dust-ridden converse and pulled her hair into a messy bun atop her head. Looking at her face in the mirror, the bags had returned under her eyes, a little of the life that had sprung into them since coming to Alexandria had dwindled. Her freckles still dotted her skin and made her look even younger; in that moment she hated what was looking back at her. Every fibre of her being detested the fact that she was an Omega, something she barely understood. She hated that her hormones ruled her body and that ultimately, that she was sought after like a prized cow because they knew what being an Omega meant. It meant fertility, children and power for the Alpha. Tossing all thoughts to the back of her mind, she set about arranging her pack, knowing that a group would be leaving to scavenge soon. Instead of taking her pack today, she pulled out the essentials and left her bag behind. Instead of her usual hunting knife she picked up an axe, pushing it through one of her belt loops and instead of her bow and arrow, a handgun was tucked into the back of her denim shorts. 

Once she was outside she wasted little time in making her way to the gates; she knew if Daryl saw her trying to leave he would only try to stop her. Just as she got to the guard post she saw Tara and Abraham loading into the truck as Glen opened the gate. She started to run towards the gate, her muscles springing to life for the first time in days as she finally felt her body loosen up already.  
“Wait! I’m coming!” She shouted over the rev of the engine, her feet pounding the pavement. As soon as she got to the side of the truck Abraham cast her a glance.  
“Good gracious ignatius girly you must be out of your damn mind if you think Daryl would be ok with you gettin’ in this truck.” He barked out a humourless laugh as he stood on the other side of the truck, his hand resting on the hood. Kate stood with her hands on her hips,  
“Well Abraham you must be out of your damn mind if you think that's gonna stop me.” She replied with a defiant glare, Tara stood closest to her and offered a shit eating grin.  
“Back to yourself huh? Fist-bump it.” She said while offering her fist out in her signature ‘fuck yeah’ gesture, Kate met it with her own and looked over at Abraham.  
“We gonna stand here with our dicks in our hands or are we goin’ scavenging?” She asked while hopping in the bed of the truck, earning herself an approving nod from the redheaded tank. Kate hit the back of the truck twice to signal she was ready to go, just as Daryl rounded the corner; the moment he saw her sat in the back of the truck he had started running as fast as his legs would allow.  
“Wait!” He had shouted as the truck tyres began to move, Kate looked over her shoulder at Abraham in the mirror and caught his stare back towards the gates, contemplating stopping, she gave him a pleading look before his foot hit the gas, a grateful sigh leaving her. She turned back around and the last thing she saw was Daryl coming to a stop outside of the gates, a look of hurt on his face as they sped away.

They had been on the road for a solid 45 minutes before the truck had begun to slow down; they were about a mile out from the nearest town and as they always did, they pulled the truck over to the side of the road into some trees and approached the rest of the way by foot. The sun was thankfully hidden behind a thick layer of clouds and so the heat was not as oppressive, but the humidity that clung to the air made sweat drip from all three of them as they approached the first store in a row leading to the settlement. Today they were looking for a pharmacy for supplies in addition to any food provisions or seeds for the communal garden that was in the process of being built. The first few stores were useless; a thrift store that had caught fire at some point on the inside insured that most of the contents would be charred and useless, the second was a party store that looked as if it had housed costumes, birthday party supplies and maybe at some point fireworks. A few doors down, a sign caught her eye as she whistled to Abraham and Tara, signalling them to stop. An old apothecary stood relatively intact,  
“What in the mother dick is an apothecary? Sounds like some hippy-dippy bullshit to me...” He had asked incredulously as he dismissed the front of the store.  
“It’s a medicine dispenser you jackass.” Kate retorted as she made her way over to the store, she banged on the front door to draw out any walkers, a sigh of relief leaving her mouth when nothing dragged itself forwards and she was only met with silence.  
“Well ok then smarty pants, you keep watch and me n’ Tara will clear out.” He replied, a mirthless grin spreading across his face knowing full well that this was not what she had anticipated.  
“Fine.” She gritted her teeth and conceded; right now she was just happy to have something to do and be away from Alexandria. She listened as the two ransacked the place, the rattle of pills being shoved into bags and cabinets being closed, the only sound until their noise had attracted some visitors. The familiar drag of aimless feet began to advance from around the corner and when she chanced a look around the wall, she was met with, at least from what she could count, 5 walkers advancing towards them. When she looked for any other exits, she came to a realisation that made her blood run cold. The exits to the other parts of the town had been blocked off by cars that made it impossible to get through unless on foot, but even then you would only do so with great difficulty. She looked closer at the cars and saw that the tyres had all been shot out, meaning that they had been placed there for a reason and the perpetrators did not want them to be moved. Other than the way they had come in, there was no other access to the street.  
“Guys we got a problem!” She shouted out and by this time, the nearest walker was within grabbing distance. Her hand shot to her belt loop and pulled out her axe, ducking down as the walker made a grab for her, causing it to lose balance and tumble forward. She spun on her heel and brought down the axe into the back of its skull, the crack ringing in her ears as blood spurted out of the wound and into her face and hair. She planted the heel of her foot onto its back as she ripped it back out of its skull and turned just in time for another to be advancing on her. She backed up into the open side of the street and away from the cars figuring she could work the space to her advantage. Four walkers followed her direction as she stayed crouched low and ready to run; for once her lack of height worked in her favour since it made her a lot quicker and agile, at least it made it harder for her to be caught. One particularly thirsty walker made a grab for her face; she kicked it back into another walker before crouching low, turning and swinging her axe behind her and upwards, catching the rotted corpse in the chin and getting stuck in its jaw bone.  
“Fuck!” She screamed as she tried to yank it out but only succeeded in pulling it closer to her. She abandoned her axe and searched the ground frantically, trying to avoid using a gun at all costs.  
_Never know when you’re gonna need the bullets for yourself..._ She thought as her eyes landed on a discarded tyre iron. She snatched the cold metal from the floor and swung at the legs of another walker, almost comically severing both of its legs so easily because of its level of decay. It rolled listlessly on the floor as it failed to bring itself onto its stomach like a turtle laying on its shell, still reaching for her with milky white eyes rolled into the back of its head. Now all she had left was the axe thief and its three rather rotted looking friends. She rounded the walker that had her axe trapped in its jaw and kicked it forward with all the energy she could muster, it lost its balance pretty easily as it careened forwards, the force of the axe hitting the floor first sending the metal up towards the front of its face and cracking its head in half like a rotted pumpkin. She pulled the handle and swung behind her as the final walker came into contact, a clean hit to its throat as it fell forward and she sunk the axe into the centre of its skull before it fell to the side lifelessly. Finally, she stood above the last walker stuck on its back and plunged the axe into its head; she stood panting, soaked in blood, guts and her own sweat as she regained her senses and flicked the flood from the blade of her axe. 

Her body buzzed with energy as she felt more herself than she had in days, an odd and unsettling sensation given the bodycount that she now stood in the centre of. In the distance she heard someone clapping; she looked over to the apothecary and found Abraham crouched in the doorway, he head jutting to the side as he signalled her to come back, Tara stood a few stores down with her gun drawn and pointing passed the cars that barricaded the town from one side, keeping them at bay. Kate stepped over the bodies that she had just obliterated as she looked for where the sound was coming from, the moment she reached Abraham he pulled her down next to him. Something was wrong. 

“Ooh now don’t be getting shy on me now Peach, Daddy was just enjoying the show!” A voice boomed in the distance while confusion pulled at the face of Kate and Abraham, both of them trying to figure out what the fuck was going on while Kate reached for the handgun that sat snuggly in the back of her shorts.  
“I’m sorry angel I should explain myself… Since I don’t know your name but HOT DAMN do I know your scent by now, I’ve taken to callin’ you Peach. Hope you don’t mind, baby doll.” She heard the voice drawl and when it dawned on her that he was addressing her, all blood drained from her face. Memories of all her previous encounters running through her mind, the words honey and peach ringing around her head over and over again until for a full minute, it was all she could hear. She swallowed thickly. Without knowing what he looked like, what he sounded like or even that this was an area they worked, she knew exactly who it was. Her legs seemed to move of their own volition as she stood, Abraham trying to jerk her hand back down as she stepped out of his reach, the need to see his face outweighing the need for her own apparent safety.  
“There she is.” He drew his words out across the distance between them as she stood soaked in sweat and blood, her gun held up in her hand and pointed in his direction. There on the other side of the barricade stood a man with slicked back almost black hair, a salt and pepper beard that framed his entire face, a black leather jacket and a baseball bat encased with barbed wire resting menacingly on his shoulder. Even from a distance this man screamed danger.  
“I’m sorry how rude of me-” He gestured a gloved hand to his chest before a grin pulled at the side of his mouth.  
“My name's Negan… Somethin’ tells me you already knew that though, didn’t you angel?” The confidence that carried his voice grated at her and the pet name made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.  
“What do you want?” She shouted with as much confidence as she could muster, willing the shake in her voice that threatened to give her nerves away back down into her stomach where bile was threatening to rise.  
“Oh, nothing today Peachy, this was just a happy goddamn coincidence…” He feigned innocence and then shook his head and tutted at the incredulous laugh that had escaped her mouth.  
“Angel it hurts me that you believe that I… would lie to you. In fact, it makes me mad as hell.” His face had dropped as he swung the bat idly at his side and suddenly, there was a loud crash of glass, followed by a burst of flames inside one of the cars at the barricade. Negan and his two men jumped backwards as the entire car was engulfed by fire; looking up she saw Tara on the roof of the store beside her about to throw what looked like a homemade molotov into the next car. Just as she threw it through the air, a gunshot cracked and hit the brick of the building Tara stood at, shaking Kate out of the trance he had had her in as she began to run backwards, Abraham grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the town and back towards the thicket of the woods. Tara came running out of the apothecary seconds later as more shots were fired near her feet before a loud voice shouted for them to stop. For a reason that Kate did not know, she looked over her shoulder to see Negan telling his men to stand down. She looked on as he pulled himself up to stand on the last car of the barricade before flames began to lick at the back tyres, pointing at her with his baseball bat. Through the sound of the flames crackling at the car interiors, she heard his voice boom one final time.  
“I’ll be seeing you real soon angel!” He bellowed across the expanse as Kate turned fully towards the woods and ran until her lungs burned, his voice echoing around her mind.


	8. Daddy's home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strap in chaps, shits about to get real.

Kate swallowed thickly past the lump that sat in her throat, her mouth was as dry as sandpaper and she stared in a state of shock, reliving the moments before.  
_”I’ll be seeing you real soon angel!”_ His voice echoed inside of her head over and over again as her body began to shake. Now she knew the face of the man readying himself to rip her from the only semblance of safety she had experienced for so long, she felt sick to her stomach. His smirk as he watched her from a distance, his praise at her blood thirst and ability to kill… The goddamn pet names. She didn’t know what to make of it all. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t feel Tara shaking her, desperately trying to grab her attention.  
“Dude fucking snap out of it what the hell?!” She had shouted from the middle seat between Kate and Abraham. Kate looked at the road and how fast they were driving, dust flying everywhere around them as thunderclouds rolled in the direction of Alexandria; if this was fortuitous of things to come, she didn’t think the odds were going to be in her favour. Tara grabbed her face and forced her to look at her, trying to snap her out of her stupor.  
“It’s gonna be ok, you hear me?!” Kate forced herself to nod as she stared back into Tara’s resolute expression.

_Real soon._ His voice echoed again while Kate ran her fingers into her hair, pulling at the roots of her scalp, trying anything to ground herself back to the moment rather than slipping away, clinging to Tara’s fingers still holding her face. She didn’t understand what was going on and felt as if her sanity was tipping over the edge. Images of his face flashing through her mind as his voice bombarded her until Abraham bellowed over the sound of her own voice, one she didn’t even realise she was using. She had been sat there chanting as she had rocked herself in her seat.  
“Not yet not yet not yet, m’not ready not ready.” Her voice shook as Tara held her tight in an embrace, her back flinching at the contact as her breath left her in a stuttered rush, trying to calm herself down, the jaws of a panic attack snapping violently at her insides.  
“KATE.” Abraham barked, snapping her attention to him finally, her head looking over Tara’s shoulder as she rubbed at her back.  
“When we get you back, you grab a bag an you run kid. This is all shades of fucked up even in this shit show of a universe we live in, but he aint takin’ you. You run, got it?” He ordered, not a request but a demand.  
“I want Daryl… Abraham. C-can’t be alone again. I want Daryl.” She cried in earnest now, the reality of her circumstances crushing her to her seat at the thought of living alone from place to place for the rest of her sorry existence. Right then, the heavens opened on the road in front of them, the dusty road quickly turning to mud as flashes of lightning cracked above them violently before a moment of silence sat whilst they waited for the roll of thunder. The noise boomed across the entire landscape as the water quickly gathered at the roadside, dust turning to mud as the ground which had been so parched for so long struggled to soak up the rainwater; much like herself, she had been starved of human interaction for so long and now, now she was overwhelmed with it all, drowning slowly before a rip tide took her out to sea, a rip tide with deep hazel eyes and a menacing smile.

The rain continued the entire way back to Alexandria and Abraham skidded to a stop mere inches from the gate before he aggressively honked the horn repeatedly for someone to open the barrier between them and relative safety. Glen came running and ripped the fence back before Abaraham floored it through the gates and straight outside of Rick’s house. The comotioned pulled everyone from their houses, panic settling into the atmosphere as the face of Abraham, usually so stoic, was creased with anxiety as they awaited the inevitable. Whether Kate made it out in time or not, Negan was coming and that was never going to end well. The car had barely stopped before the passenger door of the truck was ripped open and a strong hand gripped Kate’s bicep, yanking her from the car and out into the rain. Daryl looked furious as he stared down at her, softening when he saw the red swollen rims of her dark brown eyes.  
“We saw him, in the t-town.” She stuttered out as his hands held her face firmly, rain pouring down and soaking her clothes within seconds.  
“He’s comin’ said he’s comin’ real soon… I need to leave.” Daryl began to shake his head with his forehead creased in anger.  
“We need t’leave.” She reaffirmed as she pulled at his shirt now soaking and sticking sticking to his lean chest. In the background, she heard Rick ordering people to the armory and other people to hide away in the church with Gabriel armed to the teeth and the doors barricaded. She registered Tara grabbing an assault rifle as she ran to the guard post closest to the gate, determined to give Kate as much warning as possible. 

Rick came over to the two and pulled her from Daryl who barely let go, pushing at his chest and pointing back to their little yellow house that even for a brief time, had been considered a home.  
“Go pack a bag, get supplies I got Kate’s bag in the house y’all need to leave now. If he’s on his way which I think he is because why would he give you a chance, you need as much time as you can get.” Daryl stood there dumbly, processing the orders that Rick had given him before he shoved at his chest again and shouted at him to go. He stumbled backwards as he made his way back to the house.  
“Don’t leave without me!” He shouted over his shoulder, knowing Kate by now and even though he felt the desperation in her voice for him to go with her, he was yet to trust her not to be a flight risk.  
Rick rounded on her as Michonne came out of the house with her pack in tow having heard the commotion from the porch.  
“You need to leave, head south for 60 or so miles there’s a town there called Blue Ridge. It's suburban, plenty of cover, some houses still ain't been scavenged. Get there and hide. I’ll send someone with supplies, a map, walkie and when we know it’s safe to get t’you. You don’t leave until then you got that?” Kate nodded furiously as Rick pulled her into a tight hug, a heavy sigh leaving his chest as he battled with himself, clearly feeling as if he had failed the girl miserably.  
“M’sorry this is happening Kate, shouldn’t have gone down like this.” He mumbled into the crown of her soaked hair as Michonne came next to them, handing her her pack that was significantly heavier than before and pulling her from Rick into her own arms. At that moment Maggie came running out of her house shouting her name, tears swimming behind green eyes as she was riddled with guilt.  
“Its s’okay I’m gonna be alright, I’ll be alright.” Kate reassured her as she collided with Maggie and the older woman clutched her to her chest; she felt the sorrow pour from her as she felt history repeating itself.  
“I thought we could keep you safe I’m s-so sorry Kate. We’ll find away t’get you back. I promise.” Kate shook her head at Maggie’s words, unable to take any promises she wasn’t able to keep. She felt gentle hands pull her face to look at her as she reaffirmed her words.  
“I’ll find a way. I promise.” She stated again firmly as the rain around them stuck Maggie’s short hair to her face, whether she was trying to convince Kate or herself of that fact she wasn’t sure; either way, she didn’t want to hold her breath.

Daryl came running out of the house, his bow and arrow strap thrown over his shoulder and a pack fastened to his back as he jogged over and grabbed Kate’s hand.  
“C’mon we’ll take the bike!” He shouted over the sound of the rain hitting the ground hard and running towards his bike at the side of their house. Just as they got to it and before he kicked the engine to life, a crack rang out above them making them both stop abruptly. At first she thought it had been thunder and she looked around wildly, her hair falling from the confines of it’s bun with the weight of the water soaking her to the bone. Another 3 shots rang out before a scream tore through the town followed by a sickening thud.  
“Tara!” Kate screamed as she abandoned Daryl who was still stood at his bike, he screamed after her as he kicked the stand back into place and tried to catch her, but she was always too fast and just out of reach. Her feet hit the ground hard as she felt her heart beat pumping in her ears, adrenaline pushing her faster and faster as she saw the gate. Three loud knocks rang through the air, a baseball bat clashing with metal and causing the frame to shake.  
“Lil pig, lil pig…. Please let me in.” She heard his voice drawl from the other side of the fence. Fear should have rooted her in place but she knew if she stopped, Daryl would grab her and take her away; a part of her knew and dreaded what waited on the other side of the metal bars, but nothing would be worse than other people’s blood on her hands. 

Slowly, Glen pulled back the gates as the rain ricocheted against the frame and metal walls encircling the entire community. Kate stopped a few meters back from the threshold as she was greeted with a sight that turned her blood cold. There, standing in front of four cars was Negan and at least fifteen men; on the floor in front of him knelt Tara, her head hung down and looking at the ground until she heard the splash of feet inching forwards. Her head snapped up as she made eye contact with Kate and shook her head, her eyes pleading for her not to come closer.  
“Well there’s my little Peach… Now Daddy can see you up close aint you a sight for sore goddamn eyes.” Negan’s voice carried across the space between them even over the sound of the rain hitting the ground, gates and the top of the cars they had come in; his eyes roamed the length of her and made her want to fold in on herself. Her soaking wet clothes clung to her torso and chest, her mostly bare legs drenched from ankle to mid thigh where her shorts started; she had never been particularly fond of her body but in that moment, she truly wanted to crawl out of her own skin.  
“Now-” Negan’s voice boomed as he paced next to Tara, lazily swinging his baseball bat next to him, making her and Tara visibly flinch, the glint of the barbed wire catching her eye.  
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way… Hold up sunshine!” He pointed his bat in Kate’s direction and she turned to see Daryl edging closer in his desperation to get her as far away from here as possible.  
“You better back the fuck up or things will go real south, real quick for uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name sweetness…” He smirked down at Tara as he grasped her ponytail in his hand and yanked her head back, resting his bat just underneath her chin. Kate watched helplessly as Tara’s chest heaved up and down with the effort of keeping her head back, even just a centimeter forward and her chin could be impaled by barbed wires.  
“Tara, my name’s T-Tara.” She stuttered out.  
“Or Tara, well she’ll get to meet my favourite girl Lucille.” He swung his bat away from Tara and back under her chin, just pausing before he pierced her skin; fury pulled at Kate’s features, anger swelling in her gut thickly.  
“Well come on now angel, don’t be jealous.” He smirked across at her and let go of Tara’s hair and moved Lucille out of the way. Daryl had stopped in his tracks still out of reach of Kate, his fingers twitching at his sides with the need to just grab her and run.  
“The easy way is that my little Peach here…” Negan pointed his bat back at Kate before he continued, “well, she comes home with me, where she belongs.” He shot a pointed look at Daryl as if daring him to challenge him otherwise.  
“The hard way is that me and my friends right here… you might recognise Dwighty boy here Peach.” He turned his head in the direction of the blonde shaggy haired man, half of his face marred by old and badly healed burns. Kate’s jaw clenched and the muscle beneath rippled when she remembered his face in Daryl’s house, pinning her to the floor and holding a knife to her throat while he used her as his own person shield.  
“Well look at that Dwight, Peach remembers you! Ain’t that sweet!” He barked out a laugh as if the whole predicament amused him immensely, evidently he had a sick fucking sense of humour.  
“Well me and my boys, we kill your girl Tara here… we take all your bonded Omega’s and I bash their fucking heads in right here in front of you all since they are no fucking use to me at all and guess what… That little angel right there will still.be.coming.with.me.” He punctuated each of the last words by stamping the end of his bat into the rain drenched ground, rain still bouncing off of his leather jacket with each movement. Kate flinched with every word that left his mouth; there was no way in hell she was going to let anyone die because of her. They may have lied about their knowledge of Negan but now she knew why. He was fucking terrifying. 

There was silence in the air as Negan’s words sat heavily on the shoulders of everyone there, the rain had started to ease off but the ground was now so wet that mass puddles had started to gather where it could no longer soak up anymore water, her toes feeling the water begin to seep into her converse.  
“Tick fucking tock angel!” He shouted harshly making Kate jump; she took a step forward only for Daryl to rush to her side and try to pull her back. Before he could say anything, Kate cut him off as she ripped her arm from his grasp, wincing as his fingers dug into her flesh.  
“You don’t get to decide this for me.” She held up a hand as she looked into his eyes for a final time, she mouthed _I’m sorry_ before she spun on her heel and walked in front of Negan. She didn’t have the strength within her to look back at him and so now she faced her new, harsh reality. She lifted her chin as she mustered all of her confidence and looked him in the eyes, his dark hazel iris’ scanning her face up close for the first time. He didn’t see the fear that she had buried deep within her, he saw her fury swirl in her eyes as she stared back at him, a smirk pulled at the side of his mouth as he reached his gloved hand forward and grasped her chin between his forefinger and thumb, she jerked her face out of his grasp only for him to step closer and increase his grip, making her wince.  
“There’s my girl.” He muttered between the two of them, a tingle running up her spine that she refused to discern. He pulled her forwards by her chin, making her neck jerk forward before he wrapped his grip at the nape of her neck, squeezing on her adrenal gland that he knew was where the bond would be marked on her, a move of possession as he stared Daryl in the face and pulled Kate towards him.

“Go get into that front truck now and don’t make me ask twice baby girl .” He demanded loudly, Kate looked up at him, her jaw clicked as pain twisted in her chest, the nickname Daryl had given her rolling off of his tongue made her want to vomit.  
“Don’t call me that.” She gritted out between her teeth as she refused to move, rooted to the spot. Negan sighed out loudly and dramatically as he raised an eyebrow in her direction.  
“...Here was me thinking that this was gonna be straight forward but Peach just can’t do as she’s told.” He spoke with artificial humour lacing his voice. He turned to look at Kate.  
“Don’t say I didn’t want you angel.” Was the last thing he said before Lucille was swung heavily behind his shoulder and brought down with a crack against Tara’s right temple. A scream ripped from Kate’s throat as she lurched forward before Dwight had his arms wrapped around her from behind and he hauled her backwards, her feet kicking furiously in the air as she struggled to break free from his grasp. Another crack vibrated through the air followed by a thud as Tara fell forward onto the muddy ground in front of her. Kate screamed until her throat was raw and thrashed in Dwight’s arms, sinking her elbow into his ribs and throwing her head back into his face with a crunch; the moment he dropped her she fell into the mud on all fours as Negan brought the bat down countless times on Tara’s skull, caving in the bone as if it were paper mache. Kate threw herself forward and over Tara’s body just as the bat was about to make contact one final time, missing her back by less than an inch.

“Well shit she certainly has fire in her! Look at the goddamn state of Dwighty boy, that was the GOOD side of his face angel that’s just fucking cruel.” He mocked from above as she held Tara’s now lifeless body, her blood underneath pooling in the muddy puddles she had landed in. Kate chanted over and over again like a mantra, praying that somewhere Tara would hear her and forgive her. At that moment she didn’t care if Negan murdered her too as her body shook uncontrollably with a mixture of sorrow and rage.  
“M’sorry m’sorry I’m so fucking sorry Tara, please m’so sorry.” She screamed over and over again until her voice was nothing but a whimper. Daryl, Rick, Michone and the others could only look on in horror as Rick held Daryl back, terrified that the same fate was about to meet Kate if she didn’t move. She felt arms pull at her shoulders as she tried to cling to Tara.  
“You don’t get the fuck up right now and get in that truck…” Negan shouted above her sobs as Dwight and a thickly mustached man now pulled her away from the body on the floor.  
“...Then you have to kill the next one.” Kate’s muscles seized in panic as she let go instantly and allowed herself to be pulled backwards, offering little fight as Negan stood in front of her. Blood was splattered across his features and even then, it was still white hot fury that he saw in her eyes, surprise making a smirk pull at his face even then as he expected fear to be looking back at him. He licked at his bottom teeth before he jerked his head in the direction of the truck and Kate was dragged backwards and thrown inside the passenger seat before the taller, mustached man climbed in beside her, effectively caging her in. Now that Kate was out of the way, Negan addressed the remaining audience as the rain had finally come to a complete stop.  
“You come looking for her-” He pointed the end of his bat in Daryl’s direction before he continued. “I’ll kill every single woman here, Omega or not and I’ll make her watch-” He jerked his head back in Kate's direction. “Before I send her back to you piece.by.piece. We clear?” He shouted across the space between them and when no objections were made, he offered them another shit eating grin before he turned back and headed toward a separate truck from Kate, sendinging Dwight to drive her truck.  
“Was’a pleasure to finally meet you all.” Negan shouted over his shoulder as he ducked into his vehicle and honked his horn, signalling all other cars in the convoy to leave. Kate looked in the rear-view mirror of the truck as they left, the last sight of Alexandria she saw was Tara’s lifeless body in the mud and Daryl falling to his knees on the floor, screaming her name she was taken away.

Kate was sitting in the middle seat between Dwight and a man she had only just met these past few moments. His thick handlebar mustache sat atop of his squared jaw, his hair thinning at the top but still thick around the sides and a dark grey. “Names Simon… M’sorry about your friend.” He had offered abruptly in the silence of the truck, Kate’s state almost catatonic as images of Tara’s body flashed in her mind, the smell of the blood assaulting her nostrils when she realised it had soaked into her tee that clung to her chest, arms and back. She began to struggle next to them as she fought to reach for the door handles, needing to get away from the smell that coated to her skin. She reached over Simon’s lap as she tried to pull herself free and grab the handle. Dwight swerved slightly as he tried to keep the truck moving steady while they tried to contain her violence; in the end, the blunt end of a handgun collided sharpley with the side of her head before everything went black, putting her out of her misery.

The next time Kate woke, her ears rang in the silence of the alien room. Her vision adjusted to the light as she took in the grey walls with blurry eyes and she began her old routine of testing her limbs, just like when she had first been found by Rick and Michonne. She came to realise with dismay that she laid on top of a soft but firm mattress as her back stretched into the surface. She wiggled her toes and found that her shoes were gone, her toes curling around nothing but a thin sheet covering her. She stretched into her calves and thighs and found her legs to be completely free. Next, she tested her fingers and flexed them before rotating her wrists, stalling when she found no restriction in place at all. She was in a strange room, in a place she didn’t know and she hadn’t been restrained. Pushing herself on her elbows she felt a sickening throb in her temple and she slowed her pace, once she was upright she looked down at herself, finding that she had been changed out of her soaking wet clothes and now sat in a plain white tee; she kicked off the thin sheet to see that it rested down to her knees with how absurdly large it was on her frame. Bringing the garment up to her nose she sniffed it tentatively when her senses were assaulted with the smell of pine trees, fresh linen and the smell of something slightly spiced that she couldn’t place her finger on. Her mouth watered as she let the cotton drop back down to her body and she curled her legs up to her chest and hugged her knees as tightly to herself as possible, trying to fold in on herself. It was then that she breathed her first and likely only sigh of relief when she realised she still had her own underwear on, at least that was something, right?

Kate’s thoughts were cut short as a tentative knock rang against the only door in the room, her eyes darted in its direction as it creaked open and she held her breath. When an unfamiliar man with reddy brown hair poked his head around the corner, Kate’s breath left her in a stuttered rush. Kind eyes regarded her sadly as he came around the door and edged his way into a room with slow measured movements, the same way you would as to not startle a deer.  
“Hello, my name is Dr. Harlan Carson.” He told her in a gentle voice as he came closer to the bed that she sat on, Kate tried to hug herself closer to her thighs which at this point, was physically impossible. Her eyes watched his movements with uncertainty as he kept a safe distance, clearly seeing how uncomfortable she was.  
“I’ve been sent to check on you by Negan to make sure you’re in good health.” The mention of Negan’s name making her body begin to shake with what Harlan interpreted as fear. His lips thinned into a line as he took in her posture and he sat in a plastic chair just off of the side of the bed.  
“I promise I’m not here to hurt you, I’m a doctor that also works in one of the other communities near here… I’m not the one that cleaned you up, one of our nurses did that.” He offered, trying to make her feel better; Kate’s eyes shifted as she adjusted her posture, sitting up a little more as her legs slowly but surely lowered in front of her.  
“Where am I?” Kate croaked, her voice barely above a whisper as the strain from her screaming had damaged her vocal cords.  
“You’re at Sanctuary, Negan’s community. You were brought here a few hours ago after a… nasty bump to the head. You were conscious a couple of times but I’m not sure you were really there.” He stated simply as if she had just fallen and hit her head, although something told her that he knew there was more to her circumstances than what he had been told.  
“How are you feeling? Dizzy? Confused? In pain?” He asked her, trying to assess any medical need she may have, all she could do in response was shake her head.  
_Yes I’m confused, yes I’m in pain but it ain't the kind you can fix, doc. _She thought to herself as she willed away the tears that had began to gather in her eyes and threaten to spill down her cheeks.  
“Ok, that’s good. You have a couple of butterfly stitches to keep the wound together on your forehead there but by the looks of your eyebrow, it's nothing that you haven’t survived before.” He tried to lighten the mood, clearly referring to the newly healed scar that Maggie had tended to not even a week ago. Her throat burned as it bobbed up and down as she forced herself to swallow the scream that threatened to burst from her chest, sorrow beginning to eat her up. Before Kate was consumed by her despair, a louder knock came at the door causing them both to jump, the sound of something solid rapping against the metal frame. Kate’s legs scrambled back up against her chest as she pulled her legs tight to herself, her body starting to shake from the strain of her anxiety riddling her muscles. Carson sighed heavily, obviously knowing who the visitor was; he stood and made his way to the door and looked at her before he opened it.  
“You start to feel sick or dizzy, you come right back here looking for me and I’ll fix you up, ok?” He said to her, not waiting for a response as a further knock hit even harder this time, he opened the door instantly. There at the door, stood Negan with an expressionless face and Lucille in his hand. Bile crept up Kate’s throat at the sight of the bat, flashes of Tara’s body invading her senses again even as she forced her eyes to remain on the men standing at the door. Dr Carson stood to the side as he let Negan in before taking his leave, not even offering a glance backwards as he left and the door was closed behind him. __

__The atmosphere of the room was thick with a pregnant silence as he just stood there, taking her in as she stared defiantly back at him, refusing to not meet his eyeline and give him any reason to see weakness that he could exploit; it was a much bolder move that hid the fear that made her hands shake despite their vice like grip on her arms as she hugged her legs flush to her chest.  
“Good-fucking-afternoon angel, good to see you back in the land of the living.” He chuckled as he walked towards the wall, balancing Lucille against it before he turned back to face her. He had changed out of his damp clothes and blood no longer splattered his features. Now that she could look at him without an audience and in some decent lighting, she took in his face. He had thick brows that framed his deep hazel eyes, tanned skin from years of being outdoors even before the turn and a salt and pepper beard that covered all of his lower jaw and mouth. He licked at his lower teeth and she stared at the straight white smile that looked back at her. _ _

__Just as she had been taking him in, he was doing the same to her; even in the state she was in she was a sight for sore eyes. Months of living outside rather than in shelter had coloured her skin a tawny, tanned brown; freckles dusted the bridge of her nose and cheeks. He knew that if he ever got the chance, those same freckles would likely run across her shoulders and maybe even her chest. Her deep brown eyes glared back at him, hot with anger as she refused to break eye contact. Her honey brown hair had long fallen out of the confines of her messy bun, the rain that had soaked it and since dried, making it curl softly as it came haphazardly over her shoulders.  
“Well shit, don’t you just look like the prettiest peach in Daddy’s clothes.” He murmured as he stalked closer to the bed and despite herself, a deep shade of red coloured her cheeks at his forwardness, only now did she begin to squirm under his scrutiny, clearly not used to that kind of attention.  
“Where are my clothes?” She asked abruptly, finally finding her voice as her gaze looked down to the legs in front of her, breaking eye contact with him first.  
“Now don’t be rude, angel, aren’t you even going to say thank you?” He tilted his head to the side, trying to catch her eyes as she refused to give him the satisfaction that he seemed to find in her defiance.  
“My name, is Kate.” She ground out through clenched teeth before she felt a hand grab a fist full of her hair and yank her head back, forcing her to look up at him. Her scalp prickled at the pressure and she tried to hide the wince from her features, her eyes threatening to water at the sting.  
“Ohhh-kay Kate, kitty cat, kitten, what the fuck does a good girl say, when something is given to them?” He bent at the waist as he pressed his mouth to the side of her face, his stubble rubbing at her skin and making a shiver run down her spine, the little obedient wolf rearing its head for the first time in days and begging her to obey. Kate turned her gaze and looked him dead in the eyes, fighting with the need to please the Alpha in him before she ground out a response.  
“Fuck. You.” She emphasised each word as she braced for his response, expecting his punishment to be instant and brutal. Instead a low chuckle escaped the lips as he let go of her hair and placed a disarming kiss at her cut and swollen temple, making her hiss in response.  
“Oh angel, you will come to regret that.” He promised her lowly as he pulled off his leather glove and sat next to her on the bed and invaded her personal space.  
“Now because I am a reasonable man, this time I’mma let you keep your panties on. Next time, I might not be so lenient.” He declared as if it was the most giving thing in the world, her stomach rolled as she tried to scoot her way as far away from him as possible, a wild look in her eyes as she interpreted his words.  
“Oh give me some credit I’m not a fucking monster doll. You’re gonna bring that sweet little peach over here…” He patted to the space on his lap and smirked at her before he continued.  
“And you're gonna take 10 across your sweet ones for your mistake AND, you will thank me for my goddamn mercy.” He chuckled darkly and looked at her while waiting for her response, she remained still and swallowed thickly; his jaw clicked when she made no move towards him.  
“Make me wait any longer, an we’ll be goin’ straight back to that cute little town of yours and I’ll drag that redneck all the way back here, tied to my bumper by his balls.” He raised an eyebrow at her in challenge. This time she began to move, swinging her legs over the side of the bed as she shuffled closer to him, her hand resting at the side of his leg as she contemplated the most dignified way of positioning herself. Before she had time to dwell on it too much, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her forwards with an insulting amount of ease, her chest rested on the other side of his legs and on the bed, her ass was over his lap and her entire body burned with humiliation. _ _

__“Remember to count angel, or I start again.” He warned her before his hand came down on her rear the first time, her flesh rippled under the impact of his hand and he licked his lips as he watched her skin begin to ripen, the initial impact took her breath away and her eyes stung. Negan cleared his throat, offering a reminder of his request.  
“One...t-thank you.” She murmured out with venom in her small voice, embarrassment burning her body like she had a fever. Kate had hardly recovered from the shock of the first when it was followed by the second, this time it was a lot harder.  
“Two….., thank you.” She mumbled again, trying to control the level of her voice and stifle any satisfaction that he may get from the experience. He sensed her reluctance and brought his hand down a further 5 times in sharp succession, a gasp falling from Kate’s mouth as she felt the heat rise to her skin and her ass began to burn, hand prints now forming on each of her cheeks. She stuttered this time when she spoke “S-seven. T-thank you.” Her entire body clenched in anticipation as she waited for the next blow, his hand roaming tentatively over each of her cheeks as if in contemplation of which would receive his attention next. He positioned his palm exactly in the middle and towards the top of her thighs, putting pressure there before he swatted her dead in the centre and she bit down on her lip harshly to keep any noise escaping her mouth, a discerning sensation running down her spine as his hand rested on the heated skin. “Ten… Th-thank you.” She sighed in relief and remained in place while he rubbed at her skin. _ _

__When she made no move to retract herself from his lap, he hummed in satisfaction, the sound vibrating in her chest.  
“Such a good girl.” He had purred and although she hated herself for it, the wolf within her preened at the praise as she willed it to the back of her psyche, its response not welcome here. His hand roamed down the back of her thighs as he leaned back to take in his handy work, a groan leaving his mouth as he began to laugh aloud, confusion pulling at Kate’s features at the sound.  
“Oh Peach, look at you... You’re fucking drenched angel.” Her entire body flushed with embarrassment, the betrayal of her own reaction at the hands of this monster making her reel and her stomach roll violently, bile rising in her throat as she was disgusted with herself. She scrambled backwards and away from him and this time, he let her. He stood up from the bed and hovered near her, contemplating his next move. Evidently, he felt he had pushed her enough for the day. She had been taken, witnessed her friends murder and been aroused by the very perpetrator all within hours of each occurrence. It was clearly doing wonders for his already over-inflated ego.  
“Next time, we’ll have to do something about that.” He promised her darkly and every muscle in her body seized up, her eyes watching him as he bent forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, ignoring the flinch of her body at the contact.  
“Get some sleep, you’ve got a big day tomorrow.” He walked back towards the door, picking up Lucille from the wall it leaned on before he swung it over his shoulder. He looked back at her as he pulled the door open.  
“Sweet dreams, angel.” He offered a toothy grin as he left her in the empty room.  
The moment she heard his footsteps disappear down the hall, she keeled over into the bed and sobbed into the pillow that had been crumbled beneath her, her body confused at its reaction and angry at her inner wolf. She sobbed until her eyes burned and eventually unconsciousness pulled her back into the sweet clutches of nothingness._ _


	9. Rags to Ritches, Ritches to Rags

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate gets an introduction to Sanctuary and meets some of it's residents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next day brought relief to Kate in that Negan was not the one to come and collect her from the infirmary, which was apparently where she slept last night. The good doctor was nowhere to be seen before Kate remembered he had said he worked in different communities; that information buzzed around her skull as she realised that there was more than Alexandria and Sanctuary. How she hadn’t ran into more people these last few months she had no idea.  
_Must have just been dumb fucking luck… dumb that it’s more dangerous to be found by people than it is to be found by a walker._  
She thought to herself as she paced around the room, still only wearing Negan’s ridiculously long and weirdly still bright white tee and a pair of underwear. A knock at the door cut her pacing short, she already knew by the fact that it wasn’t a bat banging on the metal frame that it wasn’t Negan, but still, anticipation thrummed through her veins as her eyes snapped to the handle.  
“Who is it?” She called out, suddenly very wary of her lack of clothing and just how vulnerable she was in that moment; she had learned the hard way that being an Omega wasn’t exactly fun.  
“Simon, I got er, got you some clean shit to put on…” He trailed off as he opened the door.  
“W-Wait!” Kate shouted as embarrassment made her voice go high pitched. Simon rounded the door with his hand slapped over his eyes, his handlebar mustache peeking between his nose and mouth. He held his arm out and clutched in his grip was her clothes from yesterday, clean and dry.  
“S’alright I didn’t see anything cupcake. Got your stuff cleaned for ya, thought you could use a little something familiar, gotta new day ahead of ya.” He waved his hand to get her attention as his other hand remained over his eyes; the gesture was surprisingly considerate and she waited for there to be a catch. As if he sensed her thoughts-  
“No catch, I promise.” He reassured her as she gingerly stepped forward and took the clothes from his hands and held them to her chest,  
“I’ll wait outside while you get yourself together.” He closed the door back over. 

The instant it clicked shut, Kate backed away and pulled the tee from her body before folding it neatly and placing it on the bed; she didn’t know why she even did it, usually she would just throw it down on the floor until she next picked her clothes up to wear. She wrinkled her nose at the subconscious tidiness. Holding her old Led Zeppelin top out in front of her, she saw that thankfully, no remnants of blood coloured the faded grey/black material; the moment she pulled it over her head however, she had flashes of Tara’s body and the sound of her bones crunching on the floor running through her head like a highlights reel and her stomach lurched. Falling on all fours, her bare palms slapped against the floor as bile crept up her throat and decorated the tiles beneath her; her mouth burned as her eyes and nose stung from the acid, reminding her that it had been at least 2 days since she last ate anything. Kate looked around for something to clean up her mess while she calmed her erratic breathing down, settling her eyes on the tear-away tissue bed cover that she had slept on the night before like you would see in a doctor's office. She tore a large square off with shaking hands before she wiped the contents of her stomach away and threw it in the small plastic trash can that sat in the corner of the room.

Since her old shirt was a bust, she looked back over at the folded shirt she had worn the night before and decided that it was the lesser of two evils, pulling it back over her head and sadly putting down her once favourite item of clothing. Her eyes were then cast to the next issue; underneath the shirt laid a matching set of underwear that made her chew her bottom lip. A black satin set that actually matched, a luxury she barely even afforded herself pre-apocalyptic world meltdown, stared back at her; her face heated at the realisation that Simon had brought these into her and she was almost certain that he would have seen these. Now she had to choose between her own comfort and hygiene or making a point that wasn’t really worth the fight in the grand scheme of things. Sighing, she peeled off her own bra, grimacing at how it had stuck to her skin and discarded it next to her old shirt. She pulled on the black satin and had to fight back the satisfaction that she felt at the sensation of such a soft material against her skin; her eyebrows pulled together at the realisation that it fitted her perfectly.  
_Fucking perve._ She thought to herself.

Pulling on the fresh underwear she found that it pinched a little at her hips from where they were still slightly rounded, but she pulled on her denim shorts before she could pay that part of her body any more attention than it deserved. Sighing, she pulled back on the white tee and frowned when it covered her shorts and made her look as if that was all she was wearing again. Gathering the spare material in her hand, she gathered two ends and tied them in the middle, revealing that she actually had a waist and was not a child dressed in a sheet posing as a ghost for halloween. Finally, she reached into the pocket of her shorts and almost clapped her hands together with glass when she found a spare hair tie that had survived the laundry cycle. She pulled up her tatty golden brown strands into a messy bun on top of her head, feeling that little bit more herself. Gathering her other items together, she hesitated for a few seconds before she opened the door, just as he had promised, Simon was waiting outside for her with bright, wide eyes.  
“Well look at you, better already.” He clapped his hands together loudly making her jump and rubbed them in a circular motion before he took in her shirt and frowned.  
“Not want your old one?” He quizzed her, earning a quick shake of the head from Kate, her eyes trained on the ground as her throat began to ache, the reminder of Tara still lingering behind her eyes. Thankfully, he took in her posture and didn’t push it any further.

It turns out that for her first day, Kate was being shown around Sanctuary so she could get used to her new ‘home’; she had tried not to roll her eyes at the sentiment that she had imagined Negan had insisted on repeating until it felt real and like second nature.  
_Not. Fucking. Happening._ She thought to herself stubbornly as she was walked through the compound. There was so much cement everywhere and very little greenery, it made her heart ache for the outdoors and patches of open green hidden within the walls of Alexandria, that then opened the wound up for Kate to imagine Daryl and how he was coping, a door she quickly closed as she was not sure she could cope with the emotion such a thought would have on her.  
“So I’m just gonna show you where you need to know for now and you’ll get the lay of the land pretty easily from here…” They stood in the middle of a courtyard outside, although since it was surrounded by other buildings it still felt as if she was trapped inside. She felt incredibly small in that moment. Simon pointed in the direction that multiple passer’s by seemed to be filtering to; she didn’t miss the sideways glances as they saw her stood with Simon, not surprising since he was Negan’s right hand man and this was an unknown face amongst them.  
“That way is the cafeteria… breakfast is between 7-9am, lunch is 12-1 and dinner is 5-7 outside of those hours you gotta fend for yourself. Usually you gotta earn your points for your meals but uh… That’s not gonna apply to you.” He stated much to your confusion, Simon saw you going to open your mouth and he held a hand up. “I don’t make the rules cupcake, I just enforce them.” He shut down her comments in the gentlest of ways.  
“Over that way is communal livin’ most people have their own room with shared facilities and that's where you will be staying.” He explained much to her own relief, at least she wasn’t going to have to be anywhere Negan because of course, that jackass wouldn’t dare live among the commoners, why would someone with a glorified God-complex mix with his minions?

“Now if we go over this way… I’m gonna take you to meet some people.” Kate followed behind Simon as they approached a large set of stairs just inside one of the largest buildings, as they ascended the steps there was a distinct shift in smell and Kate wrinkled her nose. It was like artificial sweetener but mixed with natural floral scents; once at the top of the stairs there was a large corridor with 5 doors, 4 of which were closed but 1 remained open.  
“These four rooms here are for Negan’s wives…” Kate’s eyebrows pinched together at the plural use of the word. “...and this fifth room is their communal area.” He explained as they walked to the end of the corridor towards the only open door.  
“Wait, they live separate from everyone else?” Kate questioned, clearly confused by the hierarchy of the whole place.  
“Mmmhm. They don’t have to work for points, just have to sit and be pretty and do as they're told.” Simon stated rather bluntly, clearly not a fan of the system. Kate stopped dead in her tracks as something clicked within her head.  
_”Usually you gotta earn points for your meals but uh… That’s not gonna apply to you.”_ The penny had dropped and her mouth tried to catch up with her thoughts, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Before she could again question it, Simon held up a hand like he had earlier. “Better savin’ your questions for the man himself, Kate.” Simon used her name for the first time and for some reason it almost startled her, it seemed that everyone around her was accustomed to calling her anything BUT her real name. Finally, they stood in the doorway of the communal area and Kate was floored at the luxury that she was met with. A large room was dotted with plush couches and scatter cushions, candles on every window ledge in sight and pictures were actually hung on the goddamn walls which were painted a deep aubergine purple. The room felt snug and in any other circumstance, would have been maybe even welcoming were it not for the fact that she had just learned that this was just a play pen for the Alpha’s many play things. 

As they stepped further into the room, a larger seating area revealed itself and there sat together were three women, chattering away, at least until they had stepped into the room. Kate was greeted by the stares of a woman with raven black hair, cropped short in a pixie style and eyes almost as dark as her hair, another woman with shoulder length brown hair and green eyes and Kate had to stop herself from comparing her to Maggie, sadness making her chest tight. Finally, the third woman regarded her in what could only be described as disdain. She had long, red hair that came to below her elbows, a very unsafe hairstyle to sport in a world of grabby zombies, Kate thought absentmindedly, and blue eyes as icy as the person looking back at her. Simon cleared his throat before he gestured to each woman.  
“Here we have Sherry-” The brunette.  
“Frankie-” The pixie haired woman.  
“And Tina.” The red-haired she devil staring daggers through her.  
“We do have one more lil lady milling about here but she must still be in her room so in the meantime, everyone this is Kate AKA Peach.” Simon introduced her, the sound of her nickname making her colour with embarrassment, clearly they had been clued in on her story before her arrival, otherwise why bother revealing the little tidbit of information? Kate offered only a forced smile as two women remained in their place, the only one that stood to come and meet her was the brunette, Sherry. The fact that she even slightly resembled Maggie, and the resemblance began and ended with hair style and eye colour, it offered some comfort in such an alien place.  
“Well I’m gonna call you Kate because I feel like me callin’ you Peach is weird. Sherry” She offered a dainty hand to shake as a small smile pulled at her mouth; at least she was trying to make her feel a little more comfortable in this shitty situation, unlike the red-haired vixen burning holes into the side of Kate’s head, she shook her hand brief before she let it drop back to her side.  
“Don’t mind her, she isn’t fond of newbies… took her a while to warm to Beth and even now she only just tolerates her.” She tried to laugh it off, but clearly the name had caught Kate’s attention. As if right on cue, someone else came in the room and came to stand next to her. A slender blonde girl looked at her with curiosity with inquisitive green eyes; this time the resemblance she saw was not a figment of her imagination and it was too much of a coincidence for it not to be the same person.  
“Speak of the devil and she shall appear… This is Beth, Kate, Kate, Beth.” She gestured between the two as she watched the gears behind Beth’s eyes click into place. There was an awkward silence shared between the room before Simon clapped his hands loudly together again, making Kate curse under her breath.  
“Introductions all done, now I gotta take you down to your own room, then your time is yours until the man himself is back home.” Simon announced as he left the room for Kate to follow.  
“I see Negan fancied a challenge with his latest little chubby toy.” She heard the redhead snicker as she left the room, eyes still glued to Beth as she left. The last thing she saw was Sherry moving to her side as they spoke in hushed tones.

Heading back down to the normality of the communal space weirdly had Kate sighing a breath of relief; the tension in the upstairs quarters was palpable as she was given the not so subtle hint that certain members of Negan’s little freak show weren’t that impressed with his latest addition.  
_Well that fucking sucks for us both cause’ I don’t wanna be here either_ Kate thought to herself as if having a mental conversation with Tina. Coming back to the square at the centre of the compound, she was lead down a long and dark corridor where very little natural light filtered through, the entire vibe feeling extremely oppressive. When they stopped at a door toward the end of the corridor, Kate was so lost in her thoughts that she almost ran face first into Simon’s back.  
“This here is your room for now. It ain’t much but you got some home comforts. More clothes have been put in there and some of your pack that was on you… obviously no weapons.” He stated unapologetically as he opened the door. Somehow the sparse furniture and drab walls welcomed you more than the girly boudoir upstairs; there was a single bed with a mattress, a set of draws, a small wooden chair and a lamp. All in all it was basically a prison cell with a small rectangular window at the top, letting in minimal amounts of light, but at least it wasn’t a shared space with that viper upstairs and far away from Negan.  
“You carry on walkin’ up the corridor the communal bathroom is there, shower cubicles and toilets and whatnot.” He waved a dismissive hand before he looked back at her, noting that she definitely was trying to hide how lost she really felt in such a massive expanse of space that Sanctuary had to offer.  
“Any questions kiddo?” He asked with a quirk of his thick bushy eyebrow, Kate shook her head and walked into what was now ‘her room’.  
“Alright. I’m gonna leave you to get situated… Negan’ll be back in a couple hours. He’ll probably come here if not, I’ll come getcha.” He nodded to himself as he began to close the door, Kate shouted for him to wait before it clicked shut, he pushed the door back open enough for him to poke his large head through.  
“Thank you.” She offered in a small voice; the situation was not ideal and she certainly didn’t want to be there, but he had made the transition as painless as possible. That in itself was the greatest kindness he could have paid her. He offered a nod of his head before he clicked the door shut. 

Now that she didn’t have eyes constantly watching her, Kate walked around her small room before she sat on her bed and reached for the drawers. Inside, the clothes she had packed the day before to leave with Daryl were folded neatly alongside some other bonus items. Clean socks, more underwear, although thankfully this time they were just plain cotton panties and bras, some ripped grey jeans, and a large sweatshirt with an AC/DC print on the front. Just as she had finished rummaging, someone burst through the door behind her, making Kate leap out of her skin. Expecting to be greeted with Negan or Simon, she almost felt relief at the tall blonde girl in front of her, that was until she was bombarded with quickly whispered questions.  
“Are you the one from Alexandria? Is Maggie ok? Is Daryl ok? Do they know I’m here?” Beth had let out in one long rush.  
“Y-yeah I’m from Alexandria… Maggie is fine, so is… so is Daryl.” She struggled to work his name in her mouth without her throat clenching painfully.  
“They know he has you, they just don’t know where this is…” Kate gestured all around her and watched as Beth visibly deflated, sitting herself down on Kate’s bed while she played with her fingers in her lap.  
“He’s been talkin’ about you for over 2 months y’know.” Beth offered with her lips flattened into a thin line of a grimace.  
“W-what?” Kate’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion as she shook her head as if trying to make sense of what she was saying.  
“He’s passed you while scavenging weeks ago, smelt you and hasn’t stopped lookin’ for you since cause it was driving him crazy. S’why Tina hates your guts, worried she’s getting replaced.” Beth explained herself as her jaw clicked, obviously irritated by the thought.  
“I mean… who WANTS to belong to someone who forces you to stay here, refuses to bond but keeps you to play with?” Beth laughed a humourless laugh but stopped as she took in Kate’s confused expression.  
“Negan, he doesn’t bond with his Omega’s… Says it makes him vulnerable to attack if he has a weak spot so instead he just keeps the Omegas for power over other Alphas and Beta’s… He even took a bonded female from her mate cause’ he was a Beta and he could.” Beth shrugged as if it was just common knowledge, obviously it was to her, but the shock of the whole situation slapped Kate in the face.  
“Sherry used to be Dwight’s… Negan found em’ but then they ran away cause’ they didn’t like the way things were run… Came back after they had been chased and chased and chased... As a way to… repent, Sherry became Negan’s wife to save Dwight, Dwight got his face burned off with an iron as a compromise-” the word compromise made Kate cringe at such an awful thing to be done to a person as a compromise.  
“-and then he forced the bond apart.” That statement really caught Kate’s attention.  
“That’s possible?” She asked incredulously before Beth nodded in agreement.  
“I dunno if it’s cause Dwights’ a Beta or if it’s even true but that’s what I know.” She stated, all hope dashing from Kate at the I possibility of it all.  
“Anyway I gotta go they’ll notice if I’m gone too long I just wanted to see if you were who I thought you were…” Beth offered a slight smile before out of nowhere, she hugged her tightly. Even though her frame was thinner and more dainty, she was still at least 4 inches taller than Kate and her head rested on top of her crown, holding her lightly when she noticed the flinch from Kate at the sudden contact.  
“Just play along for now, keep your head down an hang in there… okay?” Kate nodded her head absently and just as quick as she had torn her way into Kate’s room, she left her alone again. 

Kate found it impossible to relax for the rest of the afternoon, reeling from each revelation made by Beth and Simon and she tried to make sense of it all. So many questions plagued her and the anxiety of her precarious situation made her feel sick to her stomach, her muscles constantly tense and on high alert as she knew at any moment, Negan was either gonna come through the door or she was going to be taken to him. As if sensing her spiralling, a loud knock came at the door making her jump and hold a hand to her chest, willing her heart to slow down. It was the telltale sound of solid wood meeting metal and she braced herself for his entry, but when the door didn’t move, she stayed still in hopes that if she was still enough, the whole situation would somehow evaporate in front of her. Another 3 bangs hit the door; guess her plan didn’t work. 

Reluctantly, she walked towards the door and the moment her hand settled on the handle, the door sprung open causing her to tumble backwards and land harshly on her behind. She winced at the already sore skin from the day before when a sinister chuckle met her ears.  
“No need to bow down to me angel, m’just an ordinary guy.” Negan commented, his voice dripping in sarcasm as he stepped forward into the room while carrying Lucille in his usual leather gloved hand.  
Kate scrambled backwards and further away from him until her back hit the opposite wall, watching him from the little distance she had given herself before she willed her legs to work again and she pushed herself to her feet. Negan placed Lucille down on the ground by the door, much like he had the day before, before he turned around to look Kate up and down, a wide smile pulling at his stubbled mouth.  
“Well well well look at you! Looking like a big girl but still in Daddy’s clothes huh?” Kate lifted her chin as she met his eyes, refusing to let him see the way she wanted to squirm under his gaze, not wishing to acknowledge the way his words made an unwanted heat creep up her spine.  
“You wearing this for me angel-”  
“No.” He had barely asked the question when Kate snapped out her answer, Negan tsked in response to her abruptness and came to a stop in front of her, invading her personal space so much that the toes of his combat boots met her much smaller converse. The lack of distance between them meant that his scent washed over her, it took everything within her not to automatically relax into the assault of pine and spice. This was not the kind of Alpha who was there to take care of you.  
“Either way, I like the way seeing my clothes on that lil bod of yours makes me feel. What do you say when someone gives you something nice?” He asked her only inches away from her face, the same question he had asked her the night before. Without even considering why her response came so quickly and before she could fight the little wolf that had sauntered its way back into her consciousness, she answered.  
“T-thank you.” She muttered, earning another dark chuckle from Negan as he leaned in closer, his nose running up the length of hers as his eyes bored into hers.  
“Good girl.” His hot breath ghosted at the side of her neck and this time, that damned little needy wolf basked in his praise, the tiniest of whimpers left her mouth before she could catch it, her face washing over in a deep shade of her shame. The surprised look on his face told her all she needed to know, he had heard it, a shit eating grin pulled at his lips as he looked at her face.  
“See I knew as soon as I smelt that damned trail of peaches and honey that we were gonna get along just fine.” She heard him murmur as his nose moved to trail up the side of her bare neck and into her hair as if savouring it up close, all of her muscles clenched in anticipation as heat rushed between her legs at the contact; it was moments like these that she fucking hated her body with a venegnce. 

As if sensing her response, his un-gloved hand moved to cup the crotch of her shorts, a loud gasp leaving her mouth at the un-expected contact and added warmth and pressure. Her hand shot down to pull his hand away by his wrist until his other hand, still wearing his glove, gripped both hands deftly in one movement and pinned them above her head. Kate tried to squirm away but it only served to spur on her body’s reaction, the friction of her front zipper seam making her clench her jaw painfully at trying to hide any reaction from him.  
“Now i brought you here for a reason Peach, and that’s because Daddy knows best.” Negan curled and uncurled his fingers at the front of her shorts and she all but short-circuited at the movement, the satin of her panties were now for sure ruined.  
“... and I think that my good girl…” He paused as he watched her eyes flutter closed, knowing just how to appeal to the little wolf inside of her, calling out for the attention of an Alpha. It was cruel how much he had the upper hand.  
“...wants to be near her Alpha.” His mouth hovered just above hers in that moment and god did she hate herself when she wished that he would just consume her there and then. At this point she was now panting and his pupils had blown so wide that his iris’ looked as if they were made up of coal. 

“So. You become one of mine, marry me, you won’t have to work, all you’ll have to do, is just be my sweet lil Peach when I need you.” If she had been under his spell before, his proposal was a bucket of iced water thrown over her body. Just like that she had snapped out of it and even Negan had realised his mistake when her body language flipped. She stared resolutely into his eyes before she gave her reply.  
“Go to hell.” She offered a snarl before he pushed his body flush against hers, this time not as a way to lure, but more to intimidate.  
“Watch your fucking mouth angel.” He warned her, the hand that had been holding her crotch now pointing in warning at her face, her hands still held above her painfully. In an act of defiance that she didn't even consider, she threw her head forward and cracked her forehead into his face and split his lip, instantly breaking open the stitches on her eyebrow that had only been put on not even a day ago. She had little time to regret her decision before he regathered himself and grabbed her by a fistful of her hair and began to drag her from her room. 

He dragged her through the communal area where eyes watched uneasily from a distance and down a maze of corridors and steps for what seemed like 15 minutes before he came to an abrupt stop. He wrenched open a small door that led to a room no bigger than a closet with no lights and no windows and threw her inside. She fell to the floor as he stood above her, blood dripping from his split lip as he smiled down at her, blood covering his once pearly white teeth.  
“You’ll regret that angel.” He stated flatly as he slammed the metal door shut, the echo ringing in her head.


	10. Catatonic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate begins to lose her grip on things and seeks comfort wherever she can find it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being deprived of food was something that Kate was used to; she had done it to herself countless times of her own volition and so the painful cramping in her abdomen was something she could easily ignore. A lack of sunlight was something that she could also cope with, although she felt like her own personal light dulled a little the longer she was without it, but she could take it. The dryness of her throat, the discomfort of her bones laying on cement and even the pain of a heat were all things she could deal with. What she could not bear, after spending even just over 2 weeks with other people after months of loneliness, was the crushing solitude that Negan had imposed on her. The only company she had in the pitch black was her own thoughts, memories and hypothetical situations that she played out in her head hour, after hour, after hour. After only a day on her own, she would have practically begged for his violence over his casual indifference. That day had since stretched into its second day and Kate struggled to hang on to her sanity. She laid on her side curled in the fetal position on the floor, her muscles trembling with the effort of holding herself together while she rocked herself to a steady rhythm that only she could hear. 

It was on the second day that Kate had finally seen another person; the sound of footsteps outside of her cell jarred her back to reality and her ears cringed as the metal door creaked open. Stood over her was the silhouette of a lean, tall man with scraggly hair; her eyes struggled to adjust to the light burning her iris’, finally making out the marred face of Dwight looking back at her. Even though she still held one massive bitch of a grudge against him, she did not have the energy to spit venom at him. In his hand was a bread roll, a bottle of water and an apple. Her stomach growled at the sight of the small morcles, reminding her that prior to her imprisonment, she hadn’t eaten for days. Her body shook with the effort to try and stand and failing, her head spinning violently as she tried to move from sitting to standing. Kate clenched her teeth as she tried again to move, she hated the feeling of looking weak and in that moment, she knew she looked pathetic. She felt the moment that Dwight had taken pity on her and she fucking hated it. He crouched down in front of her but kept his distance, at least giving her some personal space.  
“Try an’ eat up and drink somethin.” He spoke in a disarmingly soft voice as he pushed the items towards her, sighing when she made no move to grab them.  
“...What’s the point Dwight? He’s probably jus gonna kill me anyway. May as well be on my own terms.” Kate murmured in reply, her eyes looking at him, but not really seeing him or anything around her.  
“Kate… He ain’t gonna kill ya, he’s just teachin’ you a lesson. Just don’t fight it, but don’t give up.” She looked at him incredulously as if he had sprouted two heads.  
“He wants me to be somethin’ I’m not. I may as well be dead.” She replied listlessly, her voice catching in her throat as the reality of her situation settled over her. Dwight pushed the food and water closer to her again.  
“Jus… Try.” Was all he could offer. Dwight went to stand, readying to turn and lock the door behind him when Kate’s head snapped up, her bottom lip wobbled.  
“Please don’t leave me here Dwight.” She asked, hating how vulnerable she sounded and felt; she saw him hesitate for a moment before he gently closed the door behind him, the sound of her renewed sobs echoing down the hall as she was again left with her own company and the dark. 

\----

What Kate didn’t know was that just down the hall, there had been a spectator to their conversation. Sat in a room with a small kitchenette for the workers was Negan, Lucille in hand and his usual ripped grey jeans, black leather jacket and red scarf, waiting for his report from Dwight. He heard her wails before Dwight was back in the room; he would be lying if he didn’t admit that the noise grated on him, whether it was plain irritation or guilt he wasn’t sure.  
“Not much longer now and she’ll break.” Dwight confirmed, the discomfort of their interaction clear on his face. Negan tsked as he stood, leaning forward to capture Dwight’s line of sight.  
“Oh Dwighty boy, she got you feelin’ all soft?” He asked, humour lacing his question.  
“Nah man just, never seen someone break so quick jus’ cause of their own company.” He replied honestly to the leader of the Saviours, looking at him side on.  
“I think in all honesty, you dangle a lil bit of bait in front of her in the next few days, she’ll take it. Maybe just a lil’ compromise boss.” Dwight suggested tentatively, the word ‘compromise’ was not something used regularly if at all around Negan.  
“... You know that ain't my style D...I. Don’t. Compromise.” He took care to enunciate every word as he began to pace the room.  
“You say that but… I ain’t ever seen you chase someone for that long and let them get away with half the shit she has… How many of our men she killed now in the last 2 months of tracking her?” Dwight asked him rhetorically and with care, knowing that he was treading dangerous ground.  
“Never known anyone to survive headbutting you either boss. You see somethin’ in her and you lure it out of her the right way… She’ll do what you want.” Dwight finished his sentence with conviction. Negan offered a dark chuckle as he was clearly remembering their encounter from 2 days prior, he could still feel the impact of her skull on his mouth.  
“Yeah, she does have some beach ball sized lady nuts and that, well that shit don’t come around here often with a face and scent like that.” He shook his head and licked at the inside bottom of his pearly white teeth. He tightened his grip on Lucille with his leather gloved hand.  
“What d’ya have in mind?” Negan asked salaciously.

\---

The third day in her cell, Kate was at breaking point. Her only company was the sporadic visits from Dwight giving her water and small snacks, and the action replays of Tara being beaten to a pulp. Sometimes was getting so trapped in her own thoughts that she swore she could smell and taste the blood that had pooled in the muddy puddles underneath her body outside the gates of Alexandria. Then, when she wasn’t thinking of Tara, she thought of Daryl. She would imagine that he had come to find her, take her home and wrap her in his strong arms. She imagined that when they got home, he would claim her as his own and nothing would ever hurt her again. She remembered his smell and tears streamed from her eyes at the memory, the feeling of his mouth on hers and his rough, calloused hands on her skin. In her darkest moments, she imagined how her life would be if she just gave in to Negan, to let him be her puppet master and live an easy existence; how hard could it be to just… Let it happen?

As if destiny had heard her question, footsteps approached outside her cell for the second time that day; as gentle as always, Dwight opened the door to her cell but instead of coming in, he stood to the side and waited for her to move. Kate looked up at him as if expecting it to be a trick, the only explanation she got was a jerk of Dwight’s head in the direction of the door. This time, when she tried to stand, her legs obliged. Although her muscles ached immensely, she stretched into her calves and bent her knees to get her circulation running again after days of being motionless. She stepped out of her cell into the hallway and even though it was poorly lit, the stark comparison between inside where she had been and the light of the hallway made her squint and hiss a little as her eyes adjusted.  
“You gotta come with me.” Dwight told her softly as he gently took her elbow and guided her along the hallway; the gentleness of his hold told her that this was more for show of the people around them than his actual safety; he was showing her even the slightest bit of trust and it was something she appreciated more than her unused voice could convey in that moment. 

Confusion pulled Kate’s eyebrows together as he walked her towards the cafeteria and into the kitchen where numerous members of the community were preparing a meal; since she had no fucking idea what time of day it was, she had no clue as to whether it was lunch, dinner or in fact breakfast. She was stood in front of one of the counters when she was handed a silver tray platter of fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and cheeses. Her eyes shifted and found Dwight’s, lifting a brow in question.  
“You’re going to come with me and take this to Negan in his private quarters.” He stated matter-of-factly as if he wasn’t asking her to play waitress to the man that had killed her friend, ripped her from her only home in months and locked her in a cell for days with little to no human contact. Her eyes glared back at Dwight’s, some of the fire returning to her brown eyes as she felt disbelief wash over her.  
“Just don’t fight it and don’t give up.” He repeated the same words he had told her previously; she tried to recount when but it was hard to keep track when left in a dark room with no clocks to keep her time; for all she knew, it had been weeks since he had sent her down there. 

Kate swallowed down her pride as she picked up her tray and followed Dwight in companionable silence through the communal area, cringing at the looks she was given as she walked past.  
_Yeah I look like shit… You would too in this shitty situation._ She thought to herself glumly as they headed towards a large set of stairs not far from the living quarters of Negan’s wives; her skin crawled when she thought about _that_ encounter with _that_ vicious fucking woman. She planted her feet evenly, willing herself not to pass out as her head swam and they neared the top; it would be a real shame if all this wonderful food for Negan went flying down the stairs with her, wouldn’t it? This was a thought she had spent a little too much time on as when she next looked up, she was standing in front of a door that was guarded. The sound of a shrill laugh met her ears before Dwight knocked on the door loudly before a gruff ‘come in’ rang through the silence. Kate was not prepared for what was on the other side of the door; if she thought the wives’ quarters were luxurious, this was ridiculous. Negan’s place was a self contained living area that had its own modern styled kitchen area, dining table and chairs, a lounge complete with a large L-shaped couch and TV. The luxury didn’t end here however; the further she walked into the room, she caught a glimpse of a bathroom, complete with a bathtub and separate walk-in shower and then there was the actual sleeping area. Taking pride of place at the very back of it all was a large four poster bed, complete with a canopy and a ridiculous amount of pillows. All in all with the navy walls and cherry wood flooring, it was stunning.

Kate had been so busy admiring the scenery of the entire place that somehow, during all of it, she had missed the room’s occupants. There coming out of the bedroom was Tina, wearing very little of anything and sizing Kate up from the get-go. Icy blue eyes assessed her like a bug she intended to squish beneath her high heeled stilettos. Kate tried to remain un-phased at the fire engine red teddy nightgown that she strutted towards her in, suddenly very aware of the fact that it had been days since her last shower or even since she had even seen herself in a mirror. Tina came to stop in front of Kate and plucked a grape from a fresh punch that sat waiting on the tray.  
“Why is it here?” Tina asked while looking her dead in the eyes, the skin on Kate’s knuckles turning white with the effort not to use the tray to crack her across her stupid face. She was so distracted in her rage that she didn’t see Negan come into view, forcing herself not to do a double take at his lack of leather jacket or usual glove. Today, he was just in one of his usual obscenely white tees and slim fitted grey jeans. He didn’t miss the way her eyes lingered on his chest, a grin pulling at his mouth, glad to finally have her attention.  
“Well, g’morning sunshine! Oh baby, you look like shit, you not been sleepin?” His voice boomed across the expanse of space between them, Kate clenched her teeth with the effort of trying not to rise to him or react; she knew this was all just a game he was playing, she just had to play along with him.  
“What is she doing here Negan?” Tina demanded again, earning a glare from the man himself as he stepped closer to Kate, a smile plastered across his mouth the entire time.  
“She’s bringin breakfast and a whole new attitude to the day, ain’t that right Peach? You can put the tray down over there...” He directed her while tilting his head, her eyes burned with tears of frustration, fighting to keep them from escaping her eyes. It wasn’t lost on Kate how the term of endearment that Negan used only for her seemed to grate at Tina. _Good._  
“Surprised you’ve been able to stop yourself from eating that on the way here… chubby lil’ thing.” That was the moment after what must have been at least 3 days of solidarity that Kate snapped; she could take the insults from Negan, but hearing it come from that viscous woman, she was happy to be thrown back in the hole for the satisfaction of what she did next. Before Dwight could stop her or Tina could react, Kate pulled her shoulder back and punched Tina square in the jaw, making her topple over in her stupid high heels. The moment her body hit the floor, Kate was on her like a feral animal that had been cornered in a fight, pulling her hair viciously and scratching at her face.

Just as quickly as it had all happened, a strong pair of arms encircled hers and pulled her off of Tina’s body, her legs kicking in the air as she tried to get back at her, she felt his scent wash over her and the smell of pine instantly made her muscles stiffen with anxiety.  
“Dwighty boy I think you better take Tina to the infirmary… Peachy here seems to have gotten her little kitty claws out.” He laughed aloud at the situation much to Tina's chagrin, beginning to argue when she realised she was the one being shipped out and not Kate. All it took from Negan was a pointed stare and she snapped her mouth shut. Kate watched as Dwight grabbed her arm with more force than he had with her as he led her out of the room. It was the small victories like that made Kate feel that for once, she had won whatever game he had been playing. Her thoughts came to a grinding halt when she felt his nose nuzzle into her hair.  
“I gotta admit it, really fucking gets me goin’ when you act out like that. You ain’t fucking scared of nobody are ya baby?” He asked with genuine amusement as he kept his arms wrapped tightly around her until she eventually stopped her struggling and her muscles began to relax, her breathing starting to even out.  
“Not my fault she was fucking rude-”  
“Oh and that damn mouth!” He had barked out a laugh at her response as he allowed her feet to now touch the ground, turning her around to face him and placing a hand on her face, his thumb smoothing at her jawline. She hated herself for it, but she felt herself relax just that bit into his hand, her body screaming for attention after days of just nothing. 

Kate let out a heavy sigh as her brown eyes met the hazel orbs regarding her.  
“What am I doin’ here Negan?” She asked quietly, still not 100% on what the aim of this whole interaction was.  
“Daddy just missed you baby, that not enough of a reason?” He asked as his tongue darted out between his teeth, noting how her eyes watched the movement intently.  
“Yeah really seemed like you missed me-” The words slipped from her mouth like a jealous girlfriend and she hated that needy little wolf that had blind-sided her and decided for the both of them that Negan just HAD to know the uncomfortable feeling of jealousy that seeing Tina in here had conjured. It was stupid and irrational, making her feel disgust at her inner Omega.  
“Angel….” He drew out the name from his mouth, making her little wolf preen in response to the first time she had heard someone call her that in days, urging itself closer to the Alpha in front of her. He stepped closer to her and invaded her personal space, a habit he seemed to intend on continuing.  
“You jealous of big bad Tina?”  
“NO.” Kate’s response was forced and through clenched teeth, her jaw hurting from the strain in her muscles.  
“Ah ah ah.” He wagged his finger in front of her face before he continued.  
“Only bad girls lie, that gets you sent straight back down to the hole.” He replied matter of factly as if he wasn’t on about throwing her back in a cell. Her eyes widened with anxiety as the prospect of that dark and damp cell loomed back in on her, her hands beginning to tremble and her breathing increasing, a panic attack looming ominously.  
“P-please don’t.” She stuttered out a whisper as Negan whistled presumably at the guards who were standing outside his living quarters. Her panic increased when they grabbed a hold of her arms and Negan began to walk away, her being dragged in the opposite direction.  
“Please Negan, please m’sorry!” She shouted this time as she allowed the tears to spring from her eyes.  
“Sorry Peach, gotta learn your lesson.” Was the last thing she heard before she was dragged back down to the cells, crying and kicking and screaming the whole way. She didn’t even care that she had seen Tina on her way down and she didn’t care about the immense pleasure she seemed to take from viewing her misery; all she could think about was the dark and bad memories waiting for her.

No concept of time was graspable in the 4 walls of that tiny space; she rocked herself back and forwards as she was lulled in and out of sleep, exhausted from crying and trying to hold her sanity together. She had refused to eat the last few times Dwight had visited her and barely drank any water. At one point, she even held a conversation in her head with Tara, one in which she cried and begged for forgiveness the entire time. By the time she had heard heavy footsteps approach the cell door, she was almost catatonic, she didn’t even lift her head when the door opened and a sliver of light permeated the pitch-black of her surroundings. A paif of black combat boots stood at the threshold of the metal door.  
“... You ready to be a good girl?” The question came from a familiar, gruff voice. Kate looked up, convinced she was imagining things, she had imagined Tara, so why not Negan? It made her response easier if she reasoned it as a hallucination. Her red rimmed eyes looked up at him, swollen from crying. She nodded rapidly, her head spinning from the motion.  
“I’ll be good m’sorry I’ll be good.” She burst into tears again as she babbled incoherently, violent sobs wrapping their way around her lungs when she felt two strong hands grab her wrists and place her arms sound the back of his neck, guiding her to scoot forwards she did as she clung herself to his warm body, something so welcome after days of a hard, cold floor for company. The same hands then gripped the backs of her thighs and lifted while he stood, as if she weighed nothing. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder, one of his hands holding at the centre of her back while the other held underneath her legs. He carried her in his arms like a child, all the while shushing and praising her, the little wolf within her basking in his words and burying herself as close to him as she could get.


	11. Forcing the hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in updating, it's been a busy weekend! To make up for my absecene, here's a hefty chapter for you all to nibble on.

The gentle swaying of movement, the hand splayed across her back and the murmurings of Negan's voice were what brought her back from the brink of losing her sanity. Kate clung to him like he was a liferaft in the raging seas of her grief, sorrow and regret. Despite him being the cause of almost all those issues in her life, she felt him pulling her slowly but surely out to the sea. He was breaking her and she knew it but right now, she had no energy left to fight it. She was exhausted from hours of fighting her own demons in that tiny, dark cell. The sensory deprivation was enough to make her compliant after days of being alone.

She felt the slowing of movement but did not dare remove her face away from the crook of his neck. The smell of pine and his leather jacket seemed to be one of the few things making her cling to reality, terrified that it would slip away the moment he left her alone again and make her spiral. The sound of a door opening and closing registered in her mind before he came to a complete stop, his hands moving to her waist to try and get her to let go. Kate shook her head in protest and clung to him with fervour, her legs tightening around his waist. A dark chuckle permeated the quiet room as he replaced one hand under her legs, the other finding its way to the back of her neck and squeezing on her adrenal gland, a small whimper climbing in the back of her throat. She felt his body shift beneath her as he sat down, her legs now straddled his lap while he removed his hand from underneath her, using it to peel her hands off from behind his neck. 

Kate sat back warily, keeping her eyes glued to his chest and refusing to meet his eye line. Negan dipped his head as he tried to catch her eyes, a hand moving under her chin to direct her face back up.  
"Now as much as daddy loves holdin' his baby peach in his arms like this, you gotta eat something and it's a bit difficult this way." He stated, humour staining his voice whilst embarrassment caused her cheeks to flame. He repositioned her in his lap, one of his firm hands grasping at the inside of her fleshy thigh causing her to flinch. If he noticed her reaction, he didn't mention it. He pulled one of her legs from around him and turned her sideways in his lap, her legs that much shorter than him that they dangled off the edge of the bed he sat on. Finally looking around her, Kate realised that he had taken her back to her own room, a sigh of relief left her in a rush at the realisation that he wasn't taking her to his quarters. 

Something on top of the dresser caught her eye, steam rising gently from a bowl sat waiting. She tentatively sniffed at the air catching hints of tomato and basil, making her mouth water. Her stomach twisted painfully as she sat back, surprising them both when she chose to lean into his chest and place her head on his shoulder. One of his hands curled around her side firmly as he tutted at her, reaching forward, he grabbed the spoon and held it to her lips.  
"Dwight told me you ain't eaten in about 3 days since you were down there. You ain't leaving this room until you finish at least half the bowl angel, don't make this harder than it has to be." For now, the warning in his voice was enough to make her comply. Tentatively, she opened her mouth as he slid the spoon between her lips, flavour bursting in her mouth as the warmth of the liquid soothed her hoarse throat.  
"S'good right?" He asked as he offered her another and she obliged, feeling something warm settle in her stomach for the first time in close to a week (given that all she had in between was bread and an apple), she hummed in agreement. They repeated this until, to her dismay, the bowl was empty and he set the spoon back down.  
"Good girl." The words vibrated in her ears and settled over her like a warm blanket, his gentle care soothing the ragged wounds that their previous interactions had left behind. One of his hands rested in her lap, cupping the inside of one of her thighs and pulling her close to him. 

She allowed herself to be held that little while longer, knowing that soon the moment would pass and be replaced by whatever game he was playing. His nose rested at the crown of her head and inhaled roughly, she felt him stir beneath her thighs and her own body tingled in response.  
"How is it that after days in a shitty hole, no shower or nothin and you still smell like ripe fruit on a hot fucking summer's day?" He asked out loud not really expecting an answer.  
"Cause' you're used to Tina and her sour perfume." She answered before she could filter her thoughts, her body tensing as she braced for a reaction. She flinched when she felt a hand capture her face, bringing her eyes up to his as he took her in, his tongue running over his bottom teeth and her eyes watching the moment.  
"There's my girl." Another whimper escaped her mouth as the little wolf within her stretched languidly to life, all the while Negan looked like the cat that got the cream. He looked at her mouth and she felt the tension between them pull at her; she hated that in that moment, even for the briefest of seconds, she wished he had put his mouth on hers. Kate could see the moment he contemplated his next move in the tick of his jaw, his fingers dug into the rounded flesh of the thigh he was still holding, inching it upwards slightly and making her heart accelerate before he moved her back and off of his lap to sit on her own bed. She looked up at him in confusion as he stood, running a hand down his face.  
"Oh Peach don't look at me like that, Daddy's got stuff to do and as much as I would just love to get into it with you, and I really would, we gotta BIG day ahead." He emphasised the last few words, making her jump as he sauntered towards the door.  
"So you go and get yourself cleaned up and be out in the yard in 45 minutes, got it?" He asked her but when she didn't respond, he turned back around and stood over where she sat.  
"Don't make me ask again." He ordered roughly, challenge swirling in his eyes when she finally held eye contact with him.  
"I got it." She murmured while fiddling with the hem of the shirt she had now been wearing for at least 4 days, she wrinkled her nose at the thought. Negan bent down and pressed his lips to her forehead; she hated how her eyes closed and took comfort in the action, her stomach rolling at her body’s betrayal.  
"Thatta girl." he spoke into her skin before he backed away and opened the door.  
"45 minutes no later, don't make me send someone to look for you." He added with a pointed stare before he left her alone.

The moment the door was closed, the feelings of loneliness nipped at her insides so quickly it took her breath away; part of her wanted to scream and beg him to come back, the other part wanted to scream at herself for being so goddamn pathetic and needy.  
_Forty five minutes. Ok, just gotta get going and keep yourself busy. Get your shit together. Don't think about it. Don't think about her. Don't think about...don't think about him._  
She chanted over and over in her head; if she could just have a few hours where she wasn't plagued by flashbacks or pining for Daryl, she might make it through another day. All she needed to do was take baby steps. She made a mental list in her head of what she needed to do and the first on that list was take a goddamn shower. 

Kneeling down in front of her dresser, she rummaged through the drawers to pick out clean clothes to wear, settling on a baby pink vest that had been left in there for her and a pair of ripped grey jeans, glad that she wouldn't have to contemplate wearing her Led Zeppelin shirt. As quickly as that thought came into her head, she slammed the door shut on the emotion that threatened to follow, picking out a clean set of cotton underwear and making her way to the showers. Thankfully, the area was forgivingly quiet as she practically jogged down the corridor to where Simon had told her the showers were; everyone else must have already been ready for the day, what time even was it? 

Stepping into the communal area, she swallowed thickly when the realisation of just how communal it all was. There were a few small cubicles with thin shower curtains separating them, but there was nowhere dry to change unless you counted the small bench away from the showers where a pile of dry towels sat… it would have to do. Grabbing one of the towels, she hastily stripped out of her clothes, grimacing when every single item stuck to her skin. She pulled her hair out of its tie, wincing when the knotted strands pulled on her scalp. Doing a naked dash with her towel and leaving her clothes piled up on the bench, she ran for the nearest cubicle and switched the water on, not bothering to wait for the spray to warm before she forced her entire body under it. She didn't have time to mess around since literally anyone could walk in at any second. She spied the soap dispensers on the walls and pumped the soap between her hands before lathering up her whole body, the water finally warming and making her muscles relax. She scrubbed until her skin was pink before she even tried to move on to her hair. She gathered the soap between her palms and rubbed furiously at her scalp, feeling the tangles and knots pull between her fingers, she rinsed and repeated until it was a smooth waterfall of hair down her back since things like conditioner didn't seem to exist down here. 

Not wanting to chance someone coming in, she switched off the water and reached blindly for her towel, sighing in relief when she found it straight away and wrapped her body in it. She dried and dressed herself quickly before attempting to towel dry her hair; it curled at the bottoms and kept her cool as even after a fresh shower, she could feel the heat of the day starting to set in. Mentally she cursed Negan and his time sensitive request, it was hard to keep fucking time when you didn't know what day of the week it was and hadn't seen a clock in days. Finally back in her room, she left her dirty clothes on the end of her bed and left her hair tie around her wrist, she at least needed to let her hair dry a little before she shoved it up in a bun as usual. Now feeling slightly more human and prepared for the day, she slipped her feet into her tatty converse and started to make her way to the main courtyard. The buzz of people had started to pick up, a fair few milling back from the cafeteria; if she could guess, she would say it was morning. 

She picked up her pace when she saw groups of people beginning to gather near what she now realised was some kind of mass garage housing the vehicles; so invested in keeping her time, she didn't see the two women that she ran face first into. Her eyes shot up as she started to apologise when she saw the concerned expressions of Sherry and Beth looking back at her, Kate's eyebrows pulled together in confusion; why were they looking at her like that?  
"Are you ok? We haven't seen you in 5 days! After we saw Tina's face we thought you might be dead..." Sherry hissed out in a hushed tone, a look of surprise covering Kate's face when finally, she was given an amount of time that she had spent in the dark cell alone. Her throat ached as she remembered being in there, the words 'bad girl' echoing in her mind; she shook her head to try and rid herself of the thoughts that followed, not willing to yet spiral back to that headspace.  
"M'okay. Honestly I'm, I'm o-okay." She lied and by the look on both of their faces, it was not convincing at all.  
Beth surprised her when she pulled her in for a tight hug, her hand rubbing her back when she felt Kate tense under her. She felt Beth's other hand stuff something into her palm and she pulled back to question the moment, only for Sherry to shake her head.  
"Not here." Was all Sherry had said. Understanding crossed Kate's face when she felt eyes staring into the back of her head; she didn't need to turn to know who it was. She stuffed the note into the back pocket of her ripped jeans, saving it for later.  
"I gotta go." She offered before she turned quickly on her heel to approach the group forming and sure enough, Negan stood on a platform at the front, staring at her in question before he addressed his audience.

"Alright listen up here you punch of pricks!" He announced loudly, swinging Lucille to rest lazily on his shoulder and look at the 10 or so faces in front of him, including Dwight who had come to stand next to her. Kate found herself taking some weird comfort in his company after days of his supervision in her cell.  
"Today's pretty simple, go into the nearby facilities, grab what shit you can for me and keep to the rules… We have ourselves a new recruit today…" he pointed the end of Lucille in Kate's direction, causing numerous pairs of eyes to turn and regard her, she looked down in embarrassment, not enjoying the attention at all. "Peach here has her big girl pants on and wants to prove herself to Daddy." She knew he was taunting her, she knew he was… and it was working. She ground her teeth together and made a move to walk away; Dwight's hand shot out to grab her bicep and keep her next to him.  
"I wouldn't do that Kate." He mumbled across to her and shook his head, Negan regarding the whole exchange with great interest before he finished addressing the group.  
"Alright, roll out in your usual groups. You know what to do." He announced as the group around them began to disperse leaving Kate standing there, feeling rather unsure of where to go next while next to Dwight. She fought the urge to hide behind the shaggy haired man as she felt Negan make his approach. Her eyes looked everywhere but into the hazel ones that stared at her intently; she didn't want to show weakness, but she also didn't want a fight. Trying to balance these two constantly was a losing battle.  
"Well don't you just look every bit the lil princess in pink." He drawled as he came to a stop in front of her, Lucille hanging loosely off of his shoulder. She knew he was trying to goad her into a fight, but she was determined to go outside for the first time in close to a week; she couldn't risk ruining this for herself. She swallowed her pride and murmured a 'thank you', taking Negan and Dwight by surprise, the former seemed to believe that he had won some kind of competition she hadn't even entered, a grin spreading wider across his face the closer he came to her. He stopped just short of her converse, his gloved hand coming up to cup the side of her face and noting that for the first time, she didn't flinch. Progress.  
"You get to ride up front with Daddy today, Peach." He announced, looking at Dwight and jerking his head in the direction of the trucks waiting for them. Kate tried to ignore the way his words made her feel; she tried to chalk it down to being giddy at going outside, but when she involuntarily nuzzled her cheek into his hand, she knew it was something else. Negan let his hand slip across the side of her neck and to the back, his fingers threading into the back of her hair before he pulled her across the remaining space between and pressed her flush to his body, her crown sitting perfectly under his chin. She hated the calm that washed over her at the contact and hated even more that her hands twitched with the need to touch him back. She fought with the little wolf inside her and left her hands to dangle at her sides, but she didn't fight it either. Negan seemed to sense her reluctance and pinched his hand at the back of her neck making her breath hitch in her throat when he pulled her back, keeping his hand there, he walked them to his truck. 

Sitting alone with Negan in his truck with nowhere to run was an odd experience to say the least. For the first fifteen minutes they had sat in a strained silence; she knew that he was buying his time to start bombarding her with questions, it was just a matter of when. Kate leaned on her side of the truck, one leg up on the dashboard as she made herself comfortable, her elbow leaning against the door with the window cranked all the way down. The breeze felt so refreshing that she stretched her fingers out into it as they drove, paying no mind to the desolate surroundings of the abandoned towns and cars they passed. She felt a pair of eyes watching her, pulling her away from her errant thoughts as she looked across the truck at him. He had a smirk on his face as his eyes flitted between her and the road.  
“Tell me something about you angel.” He asked while he watched her lean her head in the crook of her elbow and regard him from what she felt was a safe distance. She contemplated her answer for a few moments before she lifted her head and offered the most useless piece of information she could think of.  
“... I hate mushrooms.” she answered him deadpan while she took in his reaction, pleasantly surprised when he barked out a genuine laugh and shook his head before he looked over at her again.  
“Tell me something real… Please.” The addition of the last word made her head snap across to him in shock, a smirk pulling at his lips at the look on Kate’s face.  
“I can play nice when I want to and we’re gonna be in this truck for at least another hour.” He shrugged a shoulder at her; it was the most human interaction they had shared since she knew him, it was disarming when he acted like this as it did not at all marry-up with the man who she had been conditioned to fear. She thought about it for a long while before she answered him, offering him a genuine bit of information about herself; something that mattered to her.  
“I was an only child and it was always just me and my Momma, she was my best friend.” She smiled fondly at the memories she had with her Mom, remembering lazy sunday afternoons spent lounging in the garden, tending to the vegetable patch her Mother had nurtured from seeds. She remembered her Mom trying to teach her to bake which was quickly followed by her Mom also teaching her how to unplug a smoke alarm.  
“Where was your Dad?” His follow up question caught her off-guard, it was something that she was never comfortable talking about even before the world went to shit. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, pulling both legs up to her chest before she answered.  
“He uh… He was never about.” Thankfully, Negan didn’t push that point any further, watching the way that she drew in on herself; he wasn’t ready for her to check-out of the conversation just yet.  
“What did you do befor-”  
“Nu-uh that isn't fair.” Kate piped up and looked across at him before she followed up her exclamation.  
“Quid pro quo, Negan. I get to ask a question, then you get to ask when I get an answer from you.” She regarded him cautiously, fully aware that her request could go either two ways; he could humour her and play along with the little game, or he would shut the whole conversation down. Either way, she could take or leave the Q & A session, but if she was going to get to know more about him that could only work as an advantage.  
“.... Alright. Shoot.” He looked across at her, accepting the challenge Now Kate swallowed thickly, she had to consider a question that she wanted to know the answer to, but also a question that wouldn’t push his buttons.  
“What’s your favourite snack?” She chewed at her bottom lip when she turned to look at him, his smile told her that he found her little game very amusing.  
“What do you really wanna ask me, angel?” He raised his eyebrows at her, as if calling her out and telling her to play properly. She shifted in her seat and relaxed her legs before turning slightly in her seat.  
“...Why so many wives?” Was the first question she felt she genuinely wanted to know the answer to; Negan licked at his lips before a smile tugged at one side.  
“Having access to the Omega’s means that I have the power, the other Alpha’s don’t challenge me and I like having options to suit my…. Moods.” He replied with a surprising amount of honesty before he readied himself with his own question.  
“Why aren’t you bonded to anyone?” His question cut right through any pretense that had been between them, clearly it was something that had been on his mind. She swallowed past the lump in her throat when she sat cross-legged in the passenger seat, the wind whipping her hair.  
“M’scared. I wasn’t enough for a lot of people before all of this, don’t think enough has changed in the world for that to still not be a thing.” Kate sighed heavily as she revealed more than she wanted in that moment, although the lack of snarky comments from Negan offered her some relief. She didn't know if she could take his ridiculing after she had been so honest with him.  
“That’s fuckin’ dumb princess…” He rasped beside her. When she turned to reply on the defensive, he talked over her.  
“Big old lady balls, sweet face, hell of a fuckin’ attitude and you aint scared of nothing.” His reply shocked her into silence, only the sound of the wind whipping past them to fill the air between them. Kate allowed herself to lean back out of the window, stretching her arm into the wind and resting her head on the door. She only just caught his murmuring when he thought she wasn’t listening. “10 of them aint worth 1 of you.” For the first time in his company, she felt almost at ease.

For the rest of the journey, they shared idle chatter and tidbits of information; it was almost easy to forget who he was and what he did. The moment he stepped out of the truck however, all illusions were shattered and like a light switch, he turned back into the cold, calculated leader of the Saviours that lived to degrade and belittle the ones around him.  
“Okay you sorry sons of bitches… split into your groups, get gathering and then we can get gone!” He shouted out , pointing at Kate with his baseball bat before he moved towards her.  
“Dwight, you get to oversee today. Keep em’ in check. Me and this lil Peach are going scavenging.” He walked off before Kate could even object, looking over at Dwight with an incredulous look on her face, she sulked behind Negan. As they approached their first house, Kate sped up to walk just behind him.  
“You still need to give me a weapon, Negan. What am I s’posed to do if I get cornered?” Kate's eyebrows pulled together as they approached the front door and he turned to face her.  
“You got me.” He offered her a shit eating grin as he kicked through the front door before she had much chance to argue. 

Dust lingered through the house from over a year of disuse, the smell tickling at Kate’s nose as they made their way through the house.  
“I’m gonna take the upstairs, you clear the kitchen. Seems quiet.” Kate nodded in agreement as Negan advanced up the staircase, Lucille hanging at his side. Walking through empty houses it was always strangely eerie to see the shell of a stranger's former home; pictures hung haphazardly on the walls, notes still left on the refrigerator and calendars had full family schedules that never got to be lived through. She walked through the house with the same pinch of sadness in her chest as she did with any dilapidated home; she thought of it’s old occupants and where they were now. Did they live? How did they die? Did they suffer? These were the thoughts that occupied Kate’s mind as she made her way into the kitchen. Most of the cupboards had already been pulled open, but what was left she took out onto the marble breakfast island that sat central to the open space. A few cans of dog food, some old spices and hidden underneath the pans at the very back of the pantry, she found some tinned spaghetti that had fallen down and rolled under the shelving. All of the noise she made had attracted unwanted attention. While she had been caught up in her thoughts, she hadn’t paid enough attention to notice that the floor to ceiling dining room window had been put through and all the noise she had made moving pans around had attracted a few visitors that had been trapped in the backyard. She was on her knees looking through the cupboards when she first heard the walker stumble into the kitchen, its jaw was hanging on by its tendons and looked as if it hadn’t had a decent meal in a while; at least the fact that it was so slow meant that she had time to try and find herself a weapon. 

Her eyes searched frantically for anything she could use, but since the place had clearly been hit already there was very little left. It rounded her at the kitchen counter and trailed after her with renewed vigor, the smell of a fresh meal kickstarting its need to feed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a broom laying on the floor, covered by trash that had blown through the open window and into the house.  
_You either have a death wish or you really are just that bad at checking your surroundings these days..._ She thought to herself as she lunged for the broomstick and held it up in front of her. Just as she braced to take only one walker down, she heard the telltale signs of a struggle upstairs, Negan cursing and what sounded like something having ten tonnes of shit knocked out of it. This was then followed by another two walkers stumbling through the large open window, clearly all the commotion was acting as a goddamn dinner bell ringing. She crouched low with the stick in her hand, running at the first walker to sweep low at its legs and sent it flying to the ground, it’s brittle bones crunching under the weight of its own body; once it was down on the tiled kitchen floor, she used the end of the stick to punch a hole it it’s skull and put it out of its misery. 

The other two advanced a lot quicker than she had anticipated; she pulled the end of the broom out of the walker's head and aimed too low, hitting it square in the chest it impaled itself, gradually sliding down the pole as it reached for her with hungry hands. Kate continued to back away until she felt a wall hit her back and panic bloom in her chest. She was literally backed into a corner, a walker straining forwards as it further impaled itself on her only form of a weapon, and another began swiping sideways at her neck. She screamed with effort as she tried to kick the walker at the side backwards, but each time she moved, the other got a little too close for comfort. 

Kate shrieked at the top of her lungs in frustration, her chest heaving with the effort of keeping both walkers at bay, her arms screaming at the strain as they inched closer. Within seconds of her screaming, a sicken crunch rang through the room and the hot spray of blood covered one side of her face and clothes, the walker to her side stood staring into space with milky white eyes as Lucille stuck out the side of its skull before he pulled the bat back and it slumped to the floor. Kate thrashed wildly as the last one came inches from her face, ducking as she saw Lucile swing again and make contact with the walking corpse, the dead weight of it falling forward on to the ground next to her, taking the broom with it. Kate stood and panted as she tried to regain her composure, turning to face Negan as he stood there with wild eyes and an unreadable expression on his face.  
“I had it!” Kate screamed at him, her hands balled into fists at her sides as for whatever reason, anger washed over her like a tidal wave. Negan barked out a humourless laugh as he stamped Lucille angrily on the ground.  
“Oh is THAT what that was, you were handling it? How about a goddamn thank you?!” He shouted in response, watching as Kate’s nostrils flared and her eyes flamed with anger.  
“No no, you’re so right… Thank you Negan.” She said with a sickly sweet voice.  
“Thank you for sending me into a house, with no weapon, just so you could save me and prove a point… You think you’re so fucking smart like I didn’t know this was all a goddamn game. It's always a game with you!” She screamed back at him and the look on his face warned her that she was about to cross a line.  
“We might have had a cute sharing secrets and braiding our fucking hair time in the truck but watch your fucking mouth Kate!” He barked back at her, stunning her as he used her name for the first time and not a pet name; for whatever reason she didn't want to pinpoint, it stung.  
“Fuck you, you did this on purpose! You left me, you fucking left me!” She pointed an accusatory finger at his chest and he began to laugh menacingly and she knew that whatever he was about to say, he meant to say it to hurt her.  
“...Just like your Dad?” The moment the words left his mouth, Kate couldn’t control the reaction that sprang forward from her; she knew that opening up to him would bite her in the ass. She _knew_ it. So why the hell did it hurt so bad? 

Before she could really consider the repercussions, her hand connected with the side of his face and the crack of her palm connecting with his stubbled cheek rang through the air, followed by a deadly silence. His head had whipped to the side with the force of the hit, his ungloved hand reached up to his mouth and when he pulled his fingers away, blood was on the tips. The ability for her to talk was lost; she couldn’t move and her mind froze as he straightened his head to look at her again, his pupils fully blown wide before he advanced on her, the hazel iris’ swallowed by black. The moment she expected him to kill her was the moment that he allowed Lucille to drop to the floor and his stubbled mouth connected with hers. She pushed him back with her hands on his chest but he rounded on her again, her fists pummelled into the lean muscle even when his hands wound from the sides of her neck into her hair. He pulled at the golden brown strands as he pushed her back harshly into the wall, forcing all the air from her lungs she gasped, the moment her lips parted his tongue rushed forward to slip past her lips, an unsolicited groan ripping its way from the back of her mouth as his dominance made heat rush between her legs and her Omega spring to life. As soon as the little wolf within her made herself known, it was as if her own consciousness took a back seat and made her watch as the entire ordeal unfolded; she was just a passenger, watching herself while filled with shame. He allowed one of the hands that held her head in place to travel down the side of her torso and slip behind her, grabbing a hand full of her behind he squeezed painfully, pulling her body flush against him before hitching her leg up, smiling with satisfaction when her other leg automatically followed and wrapped around his waist.

Negan pulled his mouth back from hers and pressed his forehead against Kate's, pinning her in place.  
"Why didn't you call for me, huh? Wanted to prove you can be a big girl, all on your own?" He asked her, running his nose down the length of hers, a smirk pulling at his mouth when she tried to inch herself forward to him.  
"You've laid your hands on me twice now Peach…" he stated calmly, a hand gripping her throat firmly and putting just enough pressure on her airway to make her pulse quicken, a disconcerting tingle running down her spine.  
"Most don't fucking survive the first time yet here you are, more lives than a cat. So what do I do with my disobedient little kitten?" His voice was rough as he held her in place, his eyes burning into hers.  
"M'sorry… y-you just made me so mad." Kate's voice left her in a breathy whine, his pelvis holding her up and making her head swim and struggle to focus. He was too close, too much and not enough all at once.  
"You made me fuckin mad for months Peach, I chased you and you killed my men so damn easy. D'ya know how crazy it drives me knowin you can take care of yourself? Makes me fucking burn." He thrust forward against her at the last word, forcing a needy noise out of Kate, her fingers finding their way to the back of his neck and pulling on his hair, earning a growl of response from the back of his throat. 

She didn't know whether to pull him closer or push him away, the competing sensations making her head fuzzy. It was never like this with Daryl; he always called the shots and she trusted him to care for her the way she needed… with Negan it was a fight for dominance from her refusal to trust him, a fight she would never win when her Omega screamed at her to bow down. Negan released her throat and allowed both hands to grab handfuls of her thighs, moving slowly higher up until his thumbs put pressure at the juncture between the top of her thighs and the dip her pelvis, a whine caught in her mouth and she felt him smirk in response. His hands moved around to cup her rear on each side before he brought them up and allowed his hands to dip into her back pockets, always trying to pull her closer. All movement stopped and so did Kate's heart when she remembered what was in there. She tried to pull his hands away and redirect him, but it was too late. He leaned back from her and pulled the offending item from her back pocket, inspecting it between his thumb and forefinger before his eyes flitted to hers. He didn't need to ask her anything for him to know that he wasn't supposed to find it. Panic was clear in her eyes as she tried to make a grab for it when he held it above her head and moved away from her, allowing her to drop to the floor on unsteady feet.  
"What the fuck is this then, doll?" He asked her, all gentleness from his tone erased as he unfolded the paper.  
"I-i dunno… was just in there an I forgot to take it out. Don't even know what it is…" even the half lie she told wasn't convincing to herself, let alone him. He stopped and read over the paper, Kate waiting with held breath while she watched his jaw clench in clear annoyance, eyes flitting up to hers.  
"Who the fuck is this from? Who you meetin?" He asked her in a falsely calm tone, daring her to argue.  
"I told you I don't know! I swear I-"  
"So you have a note in your jeans saying 'pack a bag n' meet me at 11 outside courtyard', but you don't know who it's from?" His voice boomed at her, making her cringe back into the wall as he advanced on her with wild eyes that burned with his fury.  
"You’re a fucking liar and I know exactly who it's from." He pointed in her face before he grabbed her by her arm and began to drag her out of the house.  
"N-negan, please stop!" Kate tried to drag her feet behind her and get his attention, trying to wrench her arm from his iron grip. He pulled her along like she weighed nothing, like her fighting back was futile and a waste of energy. When they got back to the mass of cars waiting out the front, most of the people they had arrived with were starting to make their way back to the meeting point, some had crates of items to show for their efforts where others had very little. They watched the commotion between the two unfold from a healthy distance, Dwight watching from the corner of his eye as he waited by his own truck for everyone to come back. They finally stopped outside of Negan's truck when he ripped the passenger door open and all but threw her inside and slammed the door shut. He turned to Dwight before he got in himself.  
"Radio back to base, I need all the workers and the wives gathered in the courtyard for when we get back… she needs to learn another fucking lesson." Dwight offered a curt nod in response, watching as Negan loaded himself into the truck and readied himself to leave, he watched Kate in the passenger seat trying to reason with Negan, the sounds of their argument washed out by the roar of the engine coming to life. The remaining people around them hurried to load the trucks and after a few minutes, they left.

The entire drive back to The Sanctuary had been a whole other level of tension that Kate had yet to experience with Negan; there was no small talk, no radio and for the first time in a while, she couldn't feel his eyes on her. It was like he was trying to deny her existence as a form of punishment and it made her stomach clench to know that it was working. They had made so much progress since he had let her out, she genuinely believed that they were moving to a place where she could barter her freedom by going on runs and ultimately escape; but his resolute silence told her that she was back at square one. Close to two hours passed before they got back to base with the others following closely behind. When they pulled up and he shut off the engine, Negan heaved a heavy sigh before a sinister laugh filled the air between them, filling her with dread.  
"Now, I'm gonna need you to learn a real important lesson here today doll…" he began, the use of the name 'doll' already letting her know that she was in a world of trouble. She sat in the passenger seat with her knees drawn up to her chest, hiding in the corner of the truck cab.  
"You need to learn that you.aint.going.anywhere." he shouted at her when his eyes met hers, his fist banging on the dashboard of the truck to punctuate his last words. Before Kate could try to reason with him, he opened the truck door and slammed it shut just as the other workers began to pull into the garage. He stood next to her side of the truck and when she didn't instantly get out, he banged on the door with Lucille, making her jump. The moment her feet touched the ground, his gloved hand grasped the back of her hair and pulled her next to him roughly before he turned to face his workers.  
"Everyone follow me before you unload…. We have an important announcement, don't we doll?" He smiled down at her sinisterly before he began to drag her back to the compound. Kate struggled to keep up with his strides as he pulled her along, her little legs no competition for his. The moment they came into view of the courtyard, she began to dig her heels into the ground and pull back, her scalp screaming in protest when he carried on pulling her with little effort. Gathered in front of her were at least 30 more people and on the elevated stage and stood to the side were Negan's wives all waiting in a row.  
_This is bad, this is very very fucking bad..._

Kate tried to pull his hand from her hair when they got to the steps of the platform, all that seemed to do was anger him more as they stood front and centre; he only released her golden strands when she stood next to him, her chest heaving with a mixture of fear and frustration as she watched him rest Lucille on the wall behind him. There was a deadly silence that settled over the courtyard as all workers from the run now gathered at the back, Dwight making his way to the front near the steps in his usual place.  
"Who are you all?" He asked the whole audience, a collective 'Negan' was shouted in response to his question like a bunch of conditioned robots. Kate thickly swallowed as she watched on in anticipation.  
"Who do you belong to?" He shouted again, eliciting the same response from them all.  
"If you try to take what's mine without permission… what is the punishment?" He bellowed again, a smirk pulling at his mouth when they all answered in unison.  
"Death!" Kate's blood ran cold at the show in front of her.  
Silence rang out again as Negan pulled from his jacket pocket, the tiny little note that had been in Kate's jeans. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will the whole scene away, she wished she could cover her ears as he read out the content of the note, her eyes flitting to Beth and Sherry as the penny dropped and Beth's hands began to tremble.

Kate felt a hand on the back of her neck as Negan pulled Kate closer to him before he spoke again.  
"You see, this little baby Peach here… she belongs to me. So when SOMEONE…." He screamed as his head turned to look at Beth and Sherry, pointing at them both before crooking his finger for them to approach. He had seen the whole thing this morning, he had seen Beth and Sherry embrace her, he had found the note and put two and two together.  
"Tries to take her away? Well doesn't that just make my fucking balls itch… I just know, since ya'll came from the same little fucking town with prick and the hick…" Now he grabbed Beth roughly by the arm and pulled her next to him, slinging an arm casually over her shoulder.  
"Well I just know it was little baby Beth here." Beth said nothing as Negan looked down at her menacingly, she knew there was no defence and even if she did deny it, he would hardly offer her a pardon in front of all these people; he was here to make a point, guilty or not. He let go of Kate’s neck and reached behind him casually, bringing Lucille into view, holding the barbed wires next to Beth’s face as he spoke.  
“So I think that everyone here, including my little Peach, needs to learn their place and not to take what. Is. Not. Their’s!” He punctuated each word with the end of Lucille slamming on the platform floor, Beth flincing with each hit. Negan began to pace before he stood behind Beth, pushing down on her shoulders forcefully as he made her kneel in front of them all.  
“Now I really didn’t wanna do this… But Lucille demands retribution for betrayal and MY OH MY is she a thirsty girl.” He taunted behind Beth with a smirk on his face, Beth’s body began to tremble as she tried to hold herself together, but it was not long before tears began to stream down her young face. 

Just as Negan began to psyche himself up as if getting ready to swing, Sherry stood forward and between Beth and Negan, with her chin lifted she looked him in the eyes before she spoke.  
“It wasn’t Beth. It was me. I couldn’t stand the thought of you sucking the soul out of another poor girl. I was going to take Kate and sneak her out and far away from you.” She gritted her teeth as her chest heaved, Beth looking up at Sherry with panicked eyes, the reality of the sacrifice she was making evident on her face. Negan began to chuckle darkly as his pacing slowed, stopping next to Sherry.  
“Oh Sherry, baby. You cut me right down to my core.” He pointed Lucille in her face, allowing the barbs to press against her beautiful face but Sherry refused to flinch; when he moved Lucille away from her, Sherry pushed Beth out of the way as she now sobbed in earnest, Sherry holding her face and placing a kiss on her forehead. Kate caught the exchange between them as Sherry mouthed ‘it's okay.’ From where she stood, she could see the blonde haired girls heart breaking. Without being further prompted, Sherry knelt in Beth’s place and stared resolutely ahead before her gaze landed on Dwight, her old Mate. Tears swam behind her eyes as she conveyed a thousand words that she was never able to say, from her thoughts to his; as if understanding like a true mate would, he offered a nod of acknowledgement that said ‘I see you.’ It was all the peace she needed.

Negan stood behind Sherry before he looked over at his wives, paying particular attention to Beth crumpled on the floor as she watched in horror.  
“Now make sure you remember this, because poor Sherry is gonna be the poster-child of why not to fuck with my shit!” His voice pierced the silence as his muscles bunched in anticipation of swinging Lucille down on her skull; Kate began to cry silent tears and her body shook. The fact that only hours ago he had held her and comforted her in his own perverse way made her sick to her stomach. Just as the bat was a few inches from Sherry’s skull, he stopped.  
“See… I really don’t wanna do this. In fact I won’t.” Everyone sharing the same space breathed a collective sigh of relief before he came over to Kate and towered over her.  
“Because you’re gonna do it for me.” He stated calmly as if he was asking her such a simple favour. Kate’s head shook as her lip began to tremble, she tried to back away from him but before she could get any distance, a gloved hand gripped her bicep before he dragged her forwards and put her where he had been standing before. He forced open the palm of her hand and put Lucille in her grip, forcing her fingers to close around the polished wood handle. Kate began to sob, panic gripping at her chest as he stood over her, raising Lucille above her head with his hand wrapped around hers.  
“If you don’t do it doll, I’ll kill her…. Then I’ll kill Beth too and I promise you it will not be quick.” He said in a sickly sweet voice as Kate tried desperately to get away from his grip, the people in front of her stuck as spectators to the whole show, Dwight hanging his head as he fought with his inner turmoil. Negan began to chant behind her as if mocking the severity of the situation.  
“Tick-toc tick-toc!”  
Kate’s heart hammered in her chest, tears obscuring her vision and her entire body trembling as she tried to gasp for breath between sobs. In the midst of it all, Sherry looked back at Kate, teary eyed but calm as she offered her a gentle smile.  
“I forgive you, Kate. It’s ok. It’s ok honey, I’ll be okay.” She croaked over and over before she turned back around, closing her eyes in acceptance of her fate. Kate shook her head violently as she began to beg Negan for anything, anything but this.  
“I’m gonna fucking count down doll and if you don’t do it, I’ll fucking kill them all!” He screamed down her ear as he pointed to all of his wives.  
“Please Ne-”  
“Three!”  
“No no no-”  
“Two!”  
“I forgive you, Kate.” Sherry whispered again.  
“One!”  
“I’m sorry!” The words were screamed from Kate’s mouth as she grabbed Lucille with both hands and with every ounce of strength she could muster, brought the bat straight down onto the top of Sherry’s skull, blood sprayed up and into her face, covering the only clean patches of Kate’s clothes with hot blood. A brief moment of silence followed the crack of her skull, followed by the sobs of Beth and the gasping cries of Kate as she pulled back Lucille and swung again as quickly as she could, trying to make her death as quick as possible. Once, twice, three times the bat came down before Sherry fell forward and into the floor, blood pooling around her head and soaking everything it touched. Kate’s legs collapsed beneath her and she fell to all fours, gasping as she tried to pull air into her starved lungs. Her stomach rolling as the only food she had eaten in days resurfaced and painted the stained wood beneath her, her throat and stomach burning with the bile coating her insides. All she could hear was a ringing in her ears as she sobbed so hard it made her body ache, the world outside of her and Sherry’s body disappeared as she spiraled down into despair. The flashbacks of Tara’s body assaulted her closed lids, the muddy ground beneath her palms, the sticky blood clinging to her clothes, the smell of copper in the air; for a moment she believed it was Tara’s body in front of her and she believed that it was her fault. All of it. Every death since her introduction to Alexandria and even before. It was all her fault. 

Collapsing on her side in the fetal position, she rocked herself with her hands over her ears, willing the images and replays of Tara and Sherry to stop. It was all too much. Around her, the crowd had begun to disperse back to whatever they had been doing before; just another day at Sanctuary. Dwight had stood rooted to the spot as he watched the blood from his ex-wife’s body drip from the wood platform and down onto the dusty courtyard floor, a lump forming in his throat.  
“Dwight, take her and see to it that she’s buried.” Negan requested as though he hadn’t just asked the man whose wife he took for his own to dispose of her body as if it were just a bag of trash. The moment that Dwight had attempted to move Sherry, Kate threw herself over her back as she clung to her, willing her to wake up.  
“No no no no no-” She chanted over and over as if the words would un-do what had just happened. Just as she felt herself begin to tip over the edge, she felt two strong hands wrap around her biceps and begin to pull her back; Kate tried to throw herself back down when she felt her body being lifted backwards, the arms wrapping around her like a vice as they moved her away from Sherry’s body. She couldn’t see through the tears in her eyes, but she smelt pine and leather and hated the way the fight left her just that little bit. She turned in Negan’s arms and tried to hit him in his chest with balled up fists, his hands easily catching her by the wrists as he pulled her against him, shushing her like a child waking from a nightmare. Kate’s body sagged beneath her, the toll of her actions weighing on her like a thousand tonnes. His arms caught her easily as he reached for the backs of her thighs, picking her up and relishing in the way her legs automatically sought refuge around his waist, her face burying itself in his neck and leather cladded chest as she sobbed in earnest. Her hands wrapped tightly around the back of his neck as she clung to him like a life-line, taking her away from what was now her living nightmare.

\-------------- Daryl -------------

The moment that Kate had been taken from Alexandria, Daryl had already begun to plan how he would get her back. It had taken hours of protest from Rick to stop him from taking his bike and following straight after them and taking her by force; but he knew just as Rick had said, it would be walking into his own suicide. So instead, he needed to be patient and play it safe. He spent the next few days watching the nearby towns for people making supply runs, equipped with a scoped assault rifle, coming up lucky at a convoy heading to an old suburban settlement. Sat far back off of the road, he watched on as he saw Kate being dragged from one of the houses, his muscles bouncing with the need to launch himself into the situation and tear Negan to pieces. His chest ached as he saw her coated in blood, his heart hammering as he tried to distinguish whether it was her blood or not. 

Leaving a large gap between himself and the final truck in the convoy had allowed him to finally learn the whereabouts of Negan’s stronghold, settling in a small industrial building on the outskirts of Sanctuary allowed him to watch from a vantage point. He watched the trucks unload, clenching his teeth as Kate was again dragged by her hair into a large courtyard surrounded by people. For every bruise that he put on her body, he promised himself he would remove a finger, toe or limb painfully and slowly as retribution. He cursed aloud as some surrounding trees obscured his view of the platform, he could see everything on the left including Kate, an agitated Negan and members of Sanctuary. His viewing was cut short at the sound of grunting behind him, a walker having followed him through the empty industrial estate in its need to feed. He glanced through the scope to see Negan addressing the crowd and quickly drew his hunting knife from its sheath, he approached the walker and rammed the blade through the top of it’s skull and pulled back, the blade easily leaving the well rotted corpse.

Darly ran back to the window as he looked through the scope of the rifle, his eyebrows pulling together as he tried to piece together the situation and what had unfolded in the minute he was away. Now, in front of the stage knelt a brunette woman, with Kate behind her and Negan looming over her shoulder. He held his breath when he saw Lucille being forced into her hand, his heart breaking as he watched Kate crumble and finally, swing the bat onto the woman's head. He watched Kate break down with his own eyes, clinging to the woman’s body the same way she had with Tara. Tears filled his own eyes and his throat constricted as he watched her grief consume her, the alpha inside of him snarling at who he perceived to be his mate in such sorrow. It took everything he had not to take the rifle and his supplies and storm the place solo, Rick’s words echoing in his head as he paced the empty space before him, pulling at his hair in frustration. There was a plan being made, all they had to do was wait until the right time, the question was, would Kate still be Kate when they got her back?  
_I’m comin’ baby girl, don’t cry, I’m comin’.... _Was his last thought as he packed the rifle and his bag away, heading back towards Alexandria.__


	12. Blue Ridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see a softer side to Negan that obviously leads to complications. Kate finds comfort in an unlikely place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \------ Negan ------

It was sick and it was perverse, but nothing could have made him prouder than the moment Kate had stepped up to the plate; he watched in awe as she had gathered all of the strength within her and brought Lucille down on Sherry’s skull. After the deed had been done, Negan knew that he should have thrown her in the cell for good measure; you know, to really drive the message home. That’s what he would have done to anyone else including his wives. Instead he found himself captivated by watching her breakdown in the aftermath of his enforced punishment, clinging to what remained of Sherry. She even tried to fight when he pulled her away, although not with the usual fire she had. The moment she had turned in his arms and tried to fight him off despite what had just unravelled, he knew then that he was screwed. Anybody else would have trembled with fear, anyone else would have cowered underneath him, anyone else wouldn’t dare sheek refuge in his arms; yet when he pulled her closer and lifted her in his arms like a child, his heart sat in his mouth when she clung to him as an automatic response. Her scent washed over him and soothed his raging temper like a balm, his heart rate settled and the red mist of fury cleared. The tall Alpha wolf that sat proudly at the forefront of his psyche pined for him to take Kate away from prying eyes and keep her vulnerability all for himself; only he was allowed to deconstruct her and put her back together piece by piece.

Spreading his palm across her back, he pressed her firmly into his chest while he carried her away from the courtyard, making a decision that was sure to piss off a few of his hareem. He tried to reason with himself that it was to ensure she didn’t run away, but deep down he knew he felt the need to have her close. Making his way up to his own personal quarters, Negan whispered words of praise against the crown of her golden brown hair, noting that even though blood had stained her clothes, skin and parts of her hair, she still smelled sweet and ripe from her natural scent. The smell drove him fucking insane every single time without fail and although he had laughed when she had joked about Sherry smelling sour, in comparison to her, she wasn’t wrong.

He held her steady against his chest as he carried her up the stairs, making a mental note that she felt a little too light.  
_Yeah cause the poor kid’s hardly eaten since bein’ here and she just spewed her only damn meal in days because of you, you fuck..._  
He thought to himself as he approached the door to his own quarters, signalling the guard that stood on duty outside of his room to open the door before he stepped over the threshold. He walked towards the bathroom and nudged the door open with his combat boot before he tried to sit Kate down on the marble topped sink counter, a smile pulling at the side of his mouth when her arms tightened around his neck and her muscles stiffened with anxiety.  
“S’alright angel… Just need to take a look at’cha.” He murmured softly as he began to extract himself from her hold but still standing between her legs; he felt something pinch in his chest when he saw the way her eyes stared emptily at his chest, silent tears still rolling down her blood stained face. As gently as he could, he removed his one gloved hand and placed it on the counter next to her legs before he lifted his hands to hold each side of her face, tilting his head until she locked eyes with him.  
“You did me so fucking proud today.” He surprised even himself with how gentle his voice came out, watching the way her plump bottom lip began to tremble with the effort of holding back the raw emotion that threatened to burst forward.  
“Took your punishment like such a fucking good girl.” He emphasised the last two words, watching as her eyes closed and her face nuzzled into his hand; he fucking loved the way she did that, even when he knew she didn’t mean to. He would take whatever she was willing to give.  
“S’get you cleaned up, come on.” He murmured as he moved out of the embrace of her petite legs and crouched in front of her; sitting back on his haunches he began to unlace her old converse, making a note that she definitely needed new shoes when his fingers brushed the tattered edges and fraying stitches. Once he had pulled her shoes off, he slipped the tips of his fingers beneath the hem of her socks before peeling them back and off of her tiny feet, watching the way she curled her tiny toes in anticipation of his touch. For him, this wasn’t sexual; he just wanted to take care of his Peach in the best way he knew how when he could see her hurting. He knew it was his fault, but he also knew that there was no other way he could treat her in front of the other’s without it being used as a weapon against him. So for now, he would show her all the care and affection he could in the safety of his quarters and away from prying eyes; as far as she would let him anyway.

Looking back up at Kate, he saw her watching his every move as if suspicious. On closer inspection, her body’s reaction to his tenderness was clear as day for him to read, her pupils had blown wider and her plump lips were parted as she watched him in earnest. He stood between her legs as he reached for the button and zipper of her jeans, stalling when her hands shot out to grab his and a panicked expression crossed her face.  
“... I’m never gonna take anything from you that you aint willing to give, you know that right, angel?” He asked her quietly, his hands resting at the button of her jeans, her hands still covering his. He watched her battle with herself internally, but ultimately, the look of exhaustion that crossed her face made him question whether he had the resolve to not take this further than she was ready to go.  
“S’alright, Peach. I’m gonna leave you-”  
“No!” She had shouted before he had finished his sentence, the clear anxiety building beneath the surface of her exterior slowly crumbling down at the mention of her being alone.  
“You need to get undressed and clean y’self up. I’m not gonna stay in here if you don’t want me to, but I also ain’t taking care of you when you smell to high heaven.” He teased her, a smirk pulling at his mouth as he tried to get some kind of reaction out of her to pull her away from her anxious state and out of her head.  
“Okay ju-just turn around, okay?” She asked him hesitantly as she shifted on her spot on the counter. He huffed out a breath as if contemplating the request before he stood back and turned around. Seemingly satisfied with his response, he heard her small feet land on the tiled floor before the telltale sound of a zipper being unfastened and the shuffle of clothes being peeled away from grimey skin. It took everything in his will power not to turn and face her, knowing that she was naked behind him, within his reach and he could explore her warm skin like he had imagined for months now, his hands twitched at his sides. Negan nearly groaned out loud when he saw a small set of cotton briefs settle on the floor near him, her scent so sensitive to him rushed to his nostrils and made his mouth salivate; the Alpha within him screamed for him to turn around and just take what was his.  
_Take her. Take her. She’s YOURS. Claim her. Fuck the rest. CLAIM HER! _  
The Alpha in him snarled and nipped at his insides as he clenched his fists at his sides, his nails digging into his calloused palms and gritting his teeth__

__

__\-------- Kate ------_ _

__

__Thankfully while he had been battling himself internally, Kate had started up the shower and slunk inside. The spray warmed so much quicker than in the communal showers and she sighed heavily as she felt her muscles begin to adjust, watching in wonder as the water around her began to turn a grey colour, her stomach rolling when it turned from grey, to brown, to red. Sherry’s still fresh blood was washing off of her skin and she stared as it circled the plug hole and spiralled down to the train below. Her breath began to catch in her throat as her lungs restricted, her breath stuttering as she tried fruitlessly to inhale and her heart beginning to hammer in her chest. She stared down at her arms and saw the streaks of blood staining her skin, she tried to slap a hand over her mouth when a sob ripped from her throat as grief slammed into her with more force than Lucille._ _

__She slumped back against the cold tiles of the walk-in shower and sank to the floor below her, pulling her legs flush to her chest she cried and cried and cried. Images of Tara, Sherry and herself hammering them both to a pulp bombarded her mind, images of her locked in the dark cell for days with the ghosts of her friends for company mocked her when she closed her eyes. She didn’t know when she started calling for him, but within a minute he slid the shower door open and she looked up, noting that he had removed his jacket, boots, socks and jeans, leaving him only in his signature white t-shirt and a pair of black boxers. Tears and shower spray matted her lashed together as she continued to cry, watching as he knelt on the floor outside of the shower.  
“What do you need, angel?” He asked her in a soft voice, appreciating how his eyes stayed on hers and refused to travel the length of her body despite her vulnerability in that moment.  
“M-make it s-stop. Please make i-it stop.” She stuttered as she tried to pull breath into her starved lungs. Before she could protest, he moved into the cubical in front of her, the spray quickly soaking through his shirt as he reached for the soap, a flannel, shampoo and conditioner and settled it on the floor. He bent down and grabbed her naked waist and pulled her forwards before he slipped in behind her, one leg either side of her body. She felt a soft washcloth on her skin as he washed her arms and back with such gentleness that if she closed her eyes, she could convince herself it was anyone else; so for her own sanity in that moment, that’s just what she did. She imagined it was Daryl caring for her, washing the blood off of her arms, neck and face. She imagined that it was him that respected her boundaries and made no moves to grab her and please himself while she was vulnerable. She imagined it was his calloused hands that rubbed shampoo into her scalp and washed her sins away before conditioning the tangles out that she couldn’t get this morning. If she imagined it was him, she wasn’t so horrified at her body's willing acceptance of Negan’s touch, of him bringing her comfort and caring for the scars on her soul that he had inflicted. She cried the whole way through, but at least now the blood was gone, her breath began to even itself out as she remained folded in on herself, her forehead resting on her knees as water ran down her back, notably calmer. She was that exhausted that she didn’t even lift her head when she felt him move behind her and the water shut off. _ _

__Negan stepped around her, soaked to the bone himself as he reached for a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her hair out from underneath the towel. He stepped out of the cubical and she watched on with tired eyes as he stripped his shirt from his torso, her mouth parting when she saw the muscle that bunched underneath; she knew he was strong, she just didn’t know he was that toned underneath. Her heart raced despite herself when he hooked his thumbs into the hem of his briefs, looking behind him with a shit eating grin, he paused his movements.  
“You checking me out baby?” He asked her in a mocking tone as he caught her staring, clearly pleased with her reaction to his body. She squirmed where she sat as she pulled the towel around her body, heat flaming her cheeks when he pulled his briefs down and stood completely naked before her, forcing the whine that threatened to break free from her back of her throat back down as he wrapped a towel around his waist.  
“C’mon. Get you in some clean shit.” He looked down at her and held a hand out for her to take while he waited for her. Faster than she expected of herself, she stood on shaking legs and wrapped the towel around her whole body and under her arms before stretching her arm out, placing her small hand in his. A warmth flooded into her chest and limbs when he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, not wishing to acknowledge the feeling the small gesture evoked._ _

__Kate followed him out of the bathroom and where he led her into his bedroom, slowing only slightly in her hesitation. Much to her dismay he released her hand when they reached his bed and walked towards his closet, rifling through his draws he pulled out one of what appeared to be many white tees and then two fresh sets of boxers before he went back to her. Kate’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion at the two pairs when he offered her one and his shirt.  
“Well unless you wanna go commando, which I would always actively encourage, I would not recommend it unless you wanna start something you can’t finish, Peach.” He stated very matter-of-fact as he passed her the clothes, letting his own towel drop with very little warning. At this point, Kate’s face was bright red as she stared shamelessly; he was the first man she had seen fully naked in years, the impact of which seemed to have her left her without the ability to formulate a sentence. She hated this man, hated the way he made her feel towards him and now, she also hated the fact that seeing his bare body made her Omega spring to life and demand her attention. All the while, Negan watched her reaction with a smirk pulling at his stubbled mouth before he pulled the clean boxers up his legs. Stepping in front of her he placed a hand at the side of her face, his thumb brushing the swell of her lip, watching as her lips parted in response. He knew that if he tried, her body would be willing; but he wanted her mind to be too. Just as quickly as he held her face, he let his hand drop as he walked to the other side of his large bed before he threw himself down, his head landing on top of what looked like an obscenely plush pillow.  
“Whatever you decide, hurry up. Cause I’m willing to bet you’re as beat as I am and we have an early start tomorrow.” He stated as he laid flat on his back with his arms spread either side, watching her from his side of the bed._ _

__Kate swallowed before she stood and after some deliberation, allowed her towel to drop and pool around her feet; hearing Negan’s breath catch and a ‘jesus fucking christ’ muttered huskily made her body flush. Quickly, she pulled his shirt over her body, looking down as the material fell just above her knees and then stepping into his boxers, settling them on her rounded hips. She turned on the spot shyly and looked over at him, a sliver of satisfaction winding up her spine when she saw his lip captured between his teeth and a feral look in his eyes. She swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat as she gingerly pulled back the comforter and slid into his sheets. The moment the scent of clean laundry and pine washed over her, she felt her entire body relax, groaning out loud this time when she felt just how soft the material was on her legs and how her body melted into the comforter and pillows beneath her head. Kate looked across from her pillow to see Negan still watching her, a tentative hand reached for her waist as he pulled her closer to him.  
“C’mere.” He grunted as he shuffled closer to her, her body moving to fit around his without her permission, the needy little wolf inside of her curling against his side and her head resting on his chest. She felt his stubbled cheek rest against the crown of her head and inhale, her eyes drifting closed despite her anxiety of sharing a bed with another person, let alone someone she was yet to trust. Her body felt tired down to the bones and for now, she would forgive herself for taking comfort from his presence, she would analyse it another day, maybe a day when she was able to stand her own company. She slowly drifted to sleep with the thumping of Negan’s heart against the shell of her ear and her conscience forcing herself to imagine again that it wasn’t Negan she laid next to. In her mind, she morphed him into the clear blue eyed archer that waited for her at home with messy hair and strong, calloused hands. _ _

__The next morning, Kate woke slowly and with confusion pulling her back to consciousness; the sound of raised voices in another room making her sit up from the bed as she strained to hear. The shrill voice of another woman echoed through Negan’s quarters as she pulled the comforter back. Now that she had regained her senses, her skin crawled at the realisation that she had shared a bed with Negan, as innocent as it was. He was still the monster that had killed and forced her to kill, so why was it that when she thought of him, she softened at the momemory of his gentle care when she was too vulnerable to function. "You are so fucking stupid, you stupid, stupid little needy Omega what the fuck is wrong with you?!" She chastised herself out loud as her eyes roamed the contents of Negan’s room, her eyes landing on her jeans from yesterday that instead of being in a heap on the bathroom floor now sat folded on an armchair near his closet. Kate walked over and without a second thought, left on Negan’s boxers as she pulled on her jeans, gathered the loose material of his shirt and tied it in the middle. Her ears twitched as she heard an angry female voice carry through the space beyond his room, coming closer to where she was as a male voice warned the other person to stop, even from here she knew it was Negan and someone else._  
_

__Before she could debate much further who the other voice was, Amber burst through the bedroom door and rounded on her, pointing a finger in her face as fury contorted her features.  
“What the FUCK is she doing in your room, Negan? Why is she allowed in here? She doesn’t belong in here!” She screamed in frustration as she squared up to Kate. Kate stood with her chin lifted as she regarded her cooly, not betraying much of any emotion other than indifference. Negan followed in after her and much to Kate’s confusion, he was already fully dressed and seemed as if he had been for a while, what time even was it?  
“What the fuck she is doin’ in here is none of your goddamn business-”  
“Like hell it isn’t, little chubby princess takin up Sh-”  
“I suggest you shut the hell up before I scratch out your eyes this time, Amber” Kate hissed, surprising even herself with the venom she replied with, insecurity making her quick to anger while Negan stood back, watching the scene unfold with great interest. The Omega in Kate reared her head as she perceived a threat in the form of a challenge in claim to the Alpha in front of her, her back stiffened as the hairs on the back of neck stood on end. Amber moved her hand as if to hit Kate and acting on instinct, Kate moved to the side before stamping her foot on the back of her knee, forcing her legs to buckle beneath her. Once she was on her knees, Kate grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully behind her and placing pressure on her wrist, Amber screamed in pain and frustration.  
“Fucking lay your hands on me and it will be the last thing you do. Better question you should ask is what the fuck are YOU doing in here, right?” Kate hissed between clenched teeth as she felt Negan’s hands on her biceps pulling her backwards, reaching to release the hand pushing pressure on Amber's arm. Distantly she heard him darkly chuckling as he whistled for whoever it was keeping watch outside of his room.  
“Better take this one away before Peach tears her a new one!” He laughed in earnest now as Kate struggled in his hands and Amber was removed from the room, rubbing her arm the whole way as she shouted obscenities and reiterating that she would regret what she just did. The moment that Amber was removed from her sight and she could no longer hear her, Kate began to calm down while confusion washed over her from her sudden aggression. Goosebumps pricked at her kin when she felt Negan’s breath on the side of her neck as he spoke. “There she is... look at my little kitten getting territorial.” He chuckled darkly as he cooed against her skin.  
“N-no I wasn’t I just-”  
“Yes you were.”  
“No, I wasn-” Her words died in her mouth when she felt his mouth on the tender skin of her throat, his stubble pricking at her skin before the soft skin of his lips connected at the juncture between her shoulder and neck.  
“Yes, baby. You were and I’m not gonna lie, I fucking loved every second of watching you put her in her place.” He confessed, confusion pulling even more at Kate’s face as she mulled over his words.  
_What is my place? I don’t understand. I’m not one of his stupid wives, never fucking will be as I’d rather die. What does he even want from me?_  
“I can hear you thinking from here angel, get out of your head and stop thinkin’ so much. Just be and do what feels right.” He encouraged her before he moved away, his words only adding to her confusion but before she could dwell on it too much, he changed the subject.  
“We’re goin on another run t’day. Just me and you.” He stated as he pulled on his leather glove on to his usual hand, it was only then that Kate saw Lucille waiting, propped against the wall. She shuddered at the sight of the barbed wires and the images the item evoked.  
“Just me and you?” She asked him in a shy voice, pulling on her old converse that had been left near her clothes and tying the laces.  
“Yeah baby, thought you might need to get out again.” He admitted, the thoughtfulness behind his apparent motive, whether true or not, surprised her.  
“I’m gonna go and get the truck ready and get the boys in order for while I’m away... Should take me 15 and in that time, I expect you to eat something before you come an meet me. You got that?” When she didn’t react, he came closer to her and held her chin between his forefinger and thumb, lifting her face to look at him in question.  
“Okay.” She replied simply before she nodded, her eyes closing when she felt him place a kiss on her forehead. The moment he had left the room and she was alone with her thoughts, the cloud that followed his presence was finally lifted. Inwardly she thought over her actions from the last day and held a frustrated scream inside of her mouth as she pulled at her hair. _Is this my fucking life now? My Omega running my shit as soon as the right person comes in and pushes my buttons?_ She thought to herself in annoyance, thinning about how weak she had been the day before allowing him to see her so vulnerable and sooth her the way he did as if he actually cared. Did he? In his own twisted way? As soon as the thought entered her head she banished it immediately. It didn’t matter if he did, because she wasn’t his, she would never be his. She already knew who she belonged to, even if they weren’t bonded. Kate pulled her spare hair tie from the wrist she always left it on and pulled her hair into a bun on top of her head, sighing in relief at having her neck exposed again. She went to leave Negan’s quarters and paused at the door, hesitating when she remembered his only request. A part of her wanted so badly to rebel, to prove that she wouldn’t do everything he asked, another part of her craved his praise and begged her to just do as he asked. It was such a simple task, was it worth the small act of defiance in the grand scheme of things? Deciding on what she considered to be a happy medium, she turned on her heel and grabbed an apple that sat in a fruit bowl on the side before tossing it in the air and catching it. ‘Always remember to pick your fights Kate.’ Her Mother’s words echoed in her head as she made her way down to the courtyard and then the garage, her eyes staying glued to the ground as she passed the platform from the day before. Just as guilt began to nip at the edges of her consciousness, she saw Negan leaning lazily against the same truck they had left in the day before, watching her approach, a grin plastered across his smug face when he watched her purposely take a bite of her apple as if to prove a point.  
“Such a good fucking girl t’day huh?” He asked rhetorically as he opened her truck door and ushered her inside before he joined her in the truck cab, she ignored the warm sensation that flooded her body at his words, his praise always wrapping its way around her like a warm blanket. The roar of the engine sprung to life as he turned the ignition on and they made their way away from sanctuary.  
“Where are we goin today?” She asked, curiosity finally getting the better of her as she watched him drive, breaking the silence first.  
“Just some town I know we ain't visited yet… Bout 50 or so miles south. Blue Ridge.” Kate tried to hide the recognition that rang in her head at the name of the town, flashing back to her conversation with Rick before she had been taken away.  
_‘You need to leave, head south for 60 or so miles there’s a town there called Blue Ridge. It's suburban, plenty of cover, some houses still ain't been scavenged. Get there and hide. I’ll send someone with supplies, a map, walkie and when we know it’s safe to get t’you. You don’t leave until then you got that?’_ he rest of the journey had continued much the same as the day before, before everything had gone to shit that is. Negan asked her questions and she obliged, earning herself more insight with her own questions to him that he, to her surprise, answered with candor. She learned that he had been married and became a widower before the outbreak, he had been a baseball coach (something that genuinely shocked her into silence at the thought of him even remotely shaping young minds) and that despite his outer confidence, he hated being around others and preferred his own company. In return, he learned that Kate had only met her Father a handful of times, cutting ties when she realised what a crushing disappointment their relationship would always be. He learned that she used to want to be a nurse after she cared for her Momma when she was sick. The last thing he learned before she closed in on herself was how her Mom had died, much like his own Lucille, taken by cancer too young. After that piece of information, they settled into a comfortable silence as they found an albeit sad, but common ground. Blue Ridge was as picturesque as any town post-apocalypse; Kate imagined what it would have looked like before. Summer fayres in the hot August with food stands and carnivals on the large communal greens; Halloween lanterns on each store doorstep every fall, fairy lights and giant candy canes lighting up the town in December. But now? Everything seemed a little less colourful, the only redeeming factor was the greenery that used to edge the town was now taking back the buildings, trees beginning to overgrow and vines that used to be well kept creeping up the brickwork of buildings. Pulling over near the sidewalk, they both watched for a few moments before Negan opened his door and stepped out into the street, pulling Lucille out behind him as he straightened. Walking over to Kate's side, he looked at her before he considered his next move, slowly he pulled out a handgun and a large hunting knife from the back of his jeans and held it out to Kate. "I'm trusting you with this, angel." He let the weapons dangle in front of Kate as she regarded him with caution before taking the gun in her hand, pulling out the clip and checking for bullets. Once satisfied that it wasn't just a trick, she pushed the clip back and looked up at him before she stuffed it into the band of her jeans and sheathed the large knife in her belt loop. "Thank you." She replied quietly, a small smile pulling at the edges of her mouth as he grinned at her. "Let's go check some places out… you need new shoes!" He shouted as he began to walk away, Lucille resting in his shoulder, ready to swing for any passing walker. Confusion pulled at her face before he turned around smirked at her, giving her a look that said 'tell me I'm wrong.' After around two hours of looking through stores and packing away the decent things they did find, they were still short a new pair of sneakers. "Negan c'mon it doesn't matter let's just leave it…" Kate moaned out loud, a grin pulling at his mouth as he compared the way she spoke to him now against how their relationship had first begun. When he didn't answer and he carried on moving down the street, she stopped and stamped her foot on the floor, staying where she was as he carried on walking up ahead. "Neeegaaan please." She drew out his name in a whine, surprising even herself at the level of petulance coming out of her; she didn't know what it was but he just brought it out of her. "Baby you know I love it when you beg..." He rasped lowly causing a tingle to run up her spine even from a distance, shame colouring her cheeks at her reaction. Just as he approached a corner, she heard Negan curse and shout as a group of walkers stumbled forwards seemingly from nowhere. He jumped backwards as one lurched forwards at him narrowly missing grabbing him by the neck as at least another eight or nine walkers followed behind. Kate stood rooted to the spot as they trudged closer to him, snapping their jaws hungrily as he braced Lucille at his side and began to swing, the sound of bones crunching and flesh ripping filling the air. _I could just run now.... There’s too many of them, he won’t survive… This could be my chance!_ She thought to herself as her hands twitched at her sides, trying to decide between fighting for him or running; then the image of Beth’s face ran through her mind, the guilt she felt at having to kill Sherry when they had tried to help her. In that moment, she knew she would never leave without her; who was she really if she abandoned the few good people left in this world, even if it meant saving some of the worst? Kate made her decision just as Negan began to run out of space, slowly but surely getting backed into a corner between a store front and an abandoned car, at least 7 walkers remained and he was quickly becoming overrun. Pulling her knife from the safety of her belt loop, she ran forward and into the thick of walking cadavers, sinking her knife into the temple of one walker getting a little too close to Negan for her comfort, pulling the knife back out of the bone with a grunt of effort, she pushed it backwards and into the oncoming walkers, creating more space for them to move. Now, they stood back to back in the centre of town as walkers advanced from all angles. She kicked the most unstable looking walker and used it like a bowling ball, knocking down another two behind it as they advanced quickly, the whoosh of Lucille swinging behind her and connecting to bodies letting her know he was taking care of his side of the fight. Kate lunged forward, slashed, stabbed, gutted and hacked at the rotters in front of her until her chest heaved and her ears buzzed; adrenaline running thickly through her veins making her whole body tense. Now that her side was clear, she turned to face Negan just as two veered towards him, one aiming its jaw towards his neck and shoulder when his side was left vulnerable and open as he took another out with his bat. “No!” She screamed and without so much as a second thought, she pulled the handgun from the back of her jeans, aimed and pulled the trigger just as it grabbed his leather jacket and lowered its mouth, the gunshot ringing through the air and hitting the walker between the eyes. Kate’s vision swam as she watched the body drop to the floor and Negan grab for his neck, her body throwing itself forwards in her panic, the tiny wolf within her howling with grief for the alpha in front of her. She frantically grabbed him by the shoulders and forced his hands out of the way, inspecting his shoulder with shaking hands. A relieved sob escaped her mouth when she saw it’s teeth hadn’t broken through his leather jacket and had only left ragged imprints on that material. Her hands fisted the lapels of the leather, her knuckles turning white with the force she held onto him. She looked up at his face that regarded her with a worried expression as his own chest heaved, her eyes took in the blood splatter across his forehead, matting to one side of his eyebrow. Kate let her forehead fall to his chest as the adrenaline began to leave her body, a stuttered breath rushing from her lungs when she realised she had been holding the air inside. _What the fuck was that…._ She thought as she frowned to herself, her reaction and panic at him dying and leaving her making her more frantic than she thought possible for someone she supposedly hated. With his one ungloved hand, Negan reached for Kate’s face and pulled her back from his chest, the look on his face that met her was disarming. There was no smirk, no smugness or ridicule that she usually found there; he looked at her with reverence and affection. Before she could think too much into her actions, she looked around them at the bodies littering the floor, a staggering amount had been taken down between them and the smell of blood and rot was thick in the air. “Jesus fuck Angel, look at that…” He stepped back from her and turned in a circle on the spot before gesturing with Lucille at all of the bodies, genuine wonder lacing his tone before he looked back to her. “How does someone with a face like yours know how to take care of business so damn well huh?” He asked with pride, his positive reinforcement wrapping around her like armour, reinforcing a bond that she didn’t want to acknowledge was forming between them. “.... Can we leave the shoes now?” She asked as she looked at him from under her lashes, a smirk pulling at his mouth as he walked back towards her, watching as she sheathed her knife and replaced the gun in the band of her jeans. “F’course baby. Let’s go home.” He declared as he threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her against his side as they walked back to the truck. For the first time that she could remember and didn’t involve her being in the peak of a panic attack, she felt ok with his physical attention, even allowing herself to be soothed by his casual affection the more he seemed to show it. This time around, coming back to Sanctuary didn’t fill her with the same amount of dread as the last time; at least this time around she wasn’t being dragged out of the truck by her hair. Before she could dwell too much on that memory and what followed the previous day, Kate tossed the thought from her head as she unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the truck. Walking around to Negan’s side of the truck, she pulled the gun from her back pocket making Negan pause before she dangled the weapon by its handle, offering for him to take it. He shook his head with a smile on his face before he answered her gesture. “Keep it Peach… After today, consider it another trust exercise. I do need to talk to you bout somethin’ though...” He carried on as she replaced the gun in the band of her jeans and followed him through the compound, hanging her head when they approached the courtyard, still refusing to look at the platform. The sun had begun to set for the day and the high heat of the day had started to fizzle out, the sky was painted a deep orange when she looked up and past the concrete jungle that surrounded her. Even though she had only just come back, she found herself pining for the open road, trees and grass; what she wouldn’t do to lay back in that field of wildflowers again. “What about?” She asked anxiously as she realised she was following him back to his quarters, her steps faltering slightly; Negan’s head turned to look over his shoulder before he answered. “Nothin’ to worry that pretty head about so stop scowling so hard.” He warned as he carried on ascending the stairs that lead to his own private part of Sanctuary. Once behind closed doors, Negan rested Lucille against the wall of the living area before he paced to the other side of the room, turning to face Kate. “I know I asked you before, but let me ask you again this time in a way that might… appeal to you.” He paused before he continued, taking in the confused expression on Kate's face. “I want you to be one of mine-” “No, Negan.” She interrupted him, earning her a withering stare that she tried not to cower under, the Omega in her trying to bow under the glare of his Alpha. “Let me fucking finish before you get all hot and angry doll.” He replied in a warning tone, even the use of ‘doll’ was enough for her to know that he was being serious. He only reserved that name for when he was getting annoyed. She swallowed before she let her eyes rest on the ground in front of her, her own form of subtle submission allowing him to continue. “Be one of mine, but not like the others. You aint like them anyway, you’d be wasted up there in pretty dresses and polished nails…” He shook his head as he laughed to himself incredulously. “You marry me, but you work for me. You’re good with knives and you’ve already proven that you can fuckin take care of yourself no questions asked… But you stay here with me. Not in the wives quarters or the communal living. No fuckin’ around.” He finished, waiting with baited breath as she took in his proposal. Kate’s eyebrows pinched together as she tried to piece together his offer. “But you don’t let your wives stay here and what, I’d just be here waiting for you when you don’t permit me to go out?” She asked in disbelief, screwing her face up in disgust. “You want me to be one of many women, waiting around for you to just bow down whenever you feel like I match your mood for the day? Your fucking flavour of choice depending on how many people you’ve killed or fucked that day? Fuck you!” Negan rounded on her, his hand pointing in her face and touching the end of her nose, he stared down at her, anger contorting his features. “Watch your fucking mouth angel… You should count yourself lucky you're even getting a second offer. Most people would have been left to rot in that cell for half the shit you’ve pulled but here I am dumb shit that I am, offering you the world on a platter!” He screamed back at her, watching as her nostrils flared, setting in her fury. “You’re right I’m sooo lucky, Negan.You get to take what you want whenever you want and cast me aside when it doesn’t suit. If I am with someone I am WITH them. I’d be yours but you would never be mine and I. Don’t. Share.” Kate snapped her mouth shut when she took in the revelation she had just made to herself and to him; she had thought about this, whether she realised it or not. The crux of the issue was that if she was with someone, she wanted to be bonded, not passed around or passed over at her mate’s convenience. She wanted Daryl. The thought of being mated to Negan made her stomach roll, even if that was not what he was offering, she knew she could never be mated and married to two different people; he’d sooner kill her than give her the chance. “Well you don’t have a fucking choice doll.” He hissed at her in response, his words like a slap to the face, the very notion that he would force marriage on her and coerce her into a relationship made her look at him in disgust. Kate squared her shoulders before she lifted her chin in defiance. “Take your offer and save it for some other whore you can buy yourself.” She spat back at him before she made a move for the door, his hand wrapped around her throat and he pushed her back against the wall before she could get out of arm's reach. “You’re fucking mine.” He snarled down at her, pushing his forehead against hers and pinned her into place. “No, Negan. I’m not. I’m nobody’s and you aint ever going to-” Before she could finish her sentence, he pressed his body into hers, the heat of her anger giving way slightly at the forced contact he had put on her, his scent fighting to calm her raging temper. “Yes you are… You fucking tell me you can’t feel somethin inside of you screamin for me?” He asked with a voice as rough as sandpaper, his pelvis dipping to cage hers in place as she fought him with just that little less energy. “You tell me that you saved me just to save your own ass then you’re a goddamn liar, angel. I know you feel it, You’re just fucking scared of who you’re becoming.” His hazel eyes stared down into Kate’s, fear behind her irises as his words soaked into her skin, the truth of them making alarm bells ring in her head and tears of frustration swell behind her eyes. “You don’t know me-” “Yes I do, know you better than anyone else. Even you. That’s why you wanna run like a scared lil kitten.” He whispered as he dipped his face closer to hers, his nose running up the length of hers. Just as he thought she was about to give in, she brought her elbow down on his arm, cutting off the hold he had on her throat before pushing him back with as much energy as she could muster. She started to back towards the door when he looked at her with warning, rage evident on his face. “You fucking dare walk out that door you’ll regret it I promise you.” His voice bellowed through the door as she ripped the door open and slammed it shut behind her, running before he could follow. She heard the door open and didn’t look back as he watched her run. “Kate you fucking get back here right fucking now!” He screamed after her, expecting her to stop like anyone else would, his frustration boiling over when she rounded the corner and ran out of sight and down the stairs. Distantly as she reached the bottom step, she heard the crash of furniture being smashed in the room above her. Needing to pace and let out some of her anger, Kate didn’t go back to her room, she knew he would expect her to be there. Part of her was dying for a shower to wash away the dirt and blood of the day, grime clinging to her skin from where she took down more than half a dozen walkers on her own; but again, she didn’t want the chance of him following her and cornering her again. Although she had snapped out of his lulling once, she didn’t know if she had the strength to do it again. The Omega in her begged for her to snap up his deal, believe that he would change and that it could be only the two of them; but a part of herself refused to believe this and even if it were true, he was not the one that her heart ached for. Finally, as she found refuge hidden in the truck depot and makeshift garage, she allowed her tired body to slump to the dusty floor as she began to cry in earnest. Her chest physically pained when she thought of Daryl, how she felt she was betraying him, how much she missed him, how much she wished that he would have just bonded with her when she was last in her heat. Maybe things would have been different then. Her crying increased tenfold when she had the stark realisation that she soon would be again entering her heat; if she was in Sanctuary and anywhere Negan when this happened, she knew that she wouldn’t stand a chance. Bile threatened to creep up her throat at the thought of her potential betrayal, but knowing that it was ultimately inevitable if things carried on the way they were. Although he wouldn’t bond to her, she knew that she would give herself to him one way or another. As Kate wallowed in her sorrow, she barely noticed Dwight as he walked into the garage, inspecting the noise while on his guard duties. He paused in front of her and watched as she realised he was there, pain contorting her features when she looked into his face and saw the result of her crimes from the day before. The guilt consumed her as she remembered Sherry’s face, her voice as she forgave her and then her prone body laying on the floor of the courtyard. Her body shook with the force of her sobs as she pulled her knees up to her chest, trying so desperately in one way or another to hold herself together. Flashes of Tara and Sherry intermixed as all she could see in her mind’s eye was blood, all of it on her hands, and the glint of barbed wire in her peripherals re-imagining herself pummelling Lucille down on their heads, flitting between the victim being Tara and Sherry. Her hands had been over her ears as she tried to block out the noise of bone being pulverised, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she rocked herself on the spot. This is why she kept the door on her emotions so tightly sealed because once it seeped through the cracks, the dam burst. Kate felt a gentle pair of hands on hers, pulling her hands away from her ears as he tried to pull her attention back to the present and out of her head; she expected him to hate her, maybe even want to kill her. What she didn’t expect to see when she opened her eyes was the sympathy in the pair of blue eyes that looked back at her, his mouth thinned into a line. He sat down next to her, leaving enough space for her to not feel too crowded and leaned his head back against the wall. He waited for her breathing to calm before he spoke to her, his voice barely a croak in the quiet darkness around them. “It wasn’t your fault Kate.” He said simply. Kate turned to face him, her bottom lip wobbling as she tried to contain the emotion in her voice. “How can you say that? I killed h-her.” Her voice broke again as tears rolled down her cheeks. Dwight shook his head before he looked at her side on. “You might have been forced to lift the bat, but you didn’t kill her. He did.” He stated simply, his throat bobbing when the words left his mouth. “M’so sorry Dwight. I’m so fucking sorry. It makes me sick and I don’t know how you’re sat here next to me… I’m just… I’m so fucking sorry.” She began to cry again, the ache in her throat making it almost impossible to speak. She felt an arm around her shoulders as he dipped his head to catch her line of sight, his voice so soft it was barely there. “There’s nothing to forgive, sunshine. Stop punishing yourself.” He pleaded with her before they sat in a comfortable silence, the weight of his words settling into her as he removed his arm from her shoulder. After a few minutes he began to stand, when Kate’s head turned to face him in alarm. “Please, don’t go.” She whispered looking up at him, pleading with her eyes. She wasn’t ready to be alone yet, the aftermath of her panic attack and grief still weighing heavily on her conscience. “I’m on guard duty… Come with me if y’want.” He offered while stretching his legs out. Kate nodded as she followed suit, stepping outside of the garage as they began to walk towards the wall. The rest of the night they spent watching over the wall on a pretty boring night shift, Kate’s focus being on anything but Tara, Sherry, Negan or Daryl, allowing her to give herself a break from the constant punishment she doled out on herself. Soon, dawn was breaking over the horizon and painting the sky hues of pink and purple, the sun beginning to warm the air for another hot day. Her eyes were heavy and her bones were tired; but for once, her mind was quiet. She turned to face him at the guard post they stood at and before she could talk herself out of it, she hugged him tightly, her face pressed to his chest. Their relationship had come such a long way since he had climbed through Daryl’s bedroom window; he had been her only company in her cell, warned her to help keep her safe with Negan and now, he had comforted her and offered forgiveness for something she would herself, never forgive. She was eternally grateful and she tried to pour that emotion into him in that moment, his arms hesitantly embracing her as the sun rose, unaware of the set of eyes watching them from the window of their quarters, jealousy filling them to the brim.__


	13. Green-eyed monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate deals with Negan's wrath in her own way but only makes things a whole lot worse. A much needed reunion also takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was around 7am that someone came to relieve Kate and Dwight of their guard duty, the sun now high in the sky as the heat of the day began to increase; stretching out through her limbs she sighed in content, barely feeling any fatigue despite not sleeping while on watch. People began to move in the compound around them, the rest of Sanctuary waking up to beginning another day. Kate’s stomach growled loudly, interrupting the silence as they walked from their guard post, Dwight looking at her from the side with amusement clearly etched on his face.  
“You hungry?” He asked her as they made their way towards the communal area, Kate shook her head and before she could comment, Dwight let out a humorless laugh.  
“Such a liar. C’mon. Breakfast is on, may as well get it while it's hot.” Kate hesitated for a moment, pulling on her fingers in anxious contemplation; other than the runs where she was accompanied by Negan alone, Kate hadn’t really integrated at all. Going to breakfast with everyone was a big step, especially after the only time anyone else had really seen her was during her very public punishment. Taking part in something as little as breakfast was almost like she was accepting being a part of the community.  
“Ah… I uh, I dunno Dwight… I dunno if it’s a good idea.” Worry creased between her eyebrows while she looked up at him. Somehow, he seemed to understand her reluctance and try to reassure her without her even telling him why she didn't want to be there.  
“They’ve seen worse, Kate. C’mon, it’ll be ok.” He jerked his head towards the cafeteria and began to walk, looking over his shoulder to check that she was following. After a little more hesitation, Kate followed behind the shaggy haired blonde, her eyes trained on the ground in front of her and only every now and then did she move her gaze to the back of Dwight’s head, trying to draw the least amount of attention to herself as humanly possible.

Kate tried to ignore the way that people’s eyes followed her through the room, her chest constricting with the beginnings of panic as she tried to focus on anything but the scrutiny of the strangers around her. She was so consumed in her own thoughts that she walked straight into Dwight’s back when he stopped in front of her, he looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her in question.  
“Sorry.” She mumbled as she finally looked up to see what was around her; thankfully there wasn’t any particular queue for breakfast and most people were now focused on their own food or the discussion around them. Looking at the food, her stomach began to grumble louder this time, making her wince in embarrassment. She watched Dwight pick up his own breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast before she looked for herself and settled on a bowl of oatmeal and almost snatched the last peach from the side, her eyes rolling at the irony of someone who is constantly told they smell like peaches, eating the last peach for breakfast.  
 _Shame that you can’t smell what they do, cause I’m thinking we probably smell like shit about now…_ She thought to herself since the grime of the day before and the humidity of the day and being up all night clung to her bare arms and face.

Following Dwight to a small table in the corner of the cafeteria, Kate sat down across from him and looked down at her breakfast, picking up her spoon and pushing around her oatmeal in its bowl.  
“Y’know… You use the spoon to… scoop” Dwight picked up his forked and mimicked the same action by scooping up his eggs before putting them in his mouth and chewing, making a big show out of it.  
“Oh shit, is that what you’re supposed to do? I’ve been jabbing with my spoon my whole life and couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t work.” She replied sarcastically, a small smile pulling at the side of her mouth when he regarded her sarcasm and feigned being hurt, his hand on his chest before he continued to eat. It was nice to just enjoy someone’s company with no expectations and she found herself settling down enough to begin eating. 

This was only her second hot meal in almost two weeks as up until now, she had just managed to get by off of snacks here and there, but the sagging of her clothes was telling her that she hadn’t been eating nearly enough. Her stomach clenched at the unfamiliar sensation of warmth in it and after only half a bowl, she found herself struggling to finish her breakfast. Sighing heavily she pushed the bowl away from herself and leaned back into her chair in time to catch Dwight’s dubious look in her direction.  
“Y’can’t be serious Kate, you full? Really?” He asked her, disbelief all over his face as he carried on eating his own food.  
“Mmhmn. Not really a morning eater.” She only half lied, she just didn’t seem to be much of an eater in general these days, her body becoming accustomed to running on empty and constant anxiety making it nearly impossible to stomach much without her wanting to hurl.

Before the conversation could be pushed any further a woman with tied up blonde curly hair and grey-green eyes came and sat with them unannounced, making Kate uneasy. Dwight looked up at Kate and gestured towards the newcomer who was looking at her intently as if trying to solve a puzzle.  
“Kate this is Laura, Laura this is-”  
“Oh I know who she is….” She interrupted Dwight before he could finish, making Kate's entire body tense at her words, her leg beginning to bounce nervously under the bench.  
“You’re the absolute badass that tore Amber a new one!” She laughed out loud as she smiled in earnest across at Kate, taking her by surprise as she offered both Dwight and Laura a confused look.  
“Ooh come on, I was walking past the infirmary yesterday and she was in there with her face all scratched up, screeching like a banshee about you. God I’m so happy someone finally smacked that smug little smirk off of her face.” Laura sighed as her laughter teetered out as if trying to catch her breath.  
“Yeah… That was me. She wasn't too happy to see me t’other day either” She admitted shyly as she picked up the peach from beside her half eaten oatmeal and took a bite, catching the juice that trailed down her mouth and to her chin with her thumb.  
“Well, on behalf of pretty much everyone here, I thank you.” She laughed across at Kate, pulling a genuine smile out of her as for some reason, she found that she liked Laura, she wasn’t like the other women here but that wasn’t hard since Kate had only met Negan’s wives for comparison.  
“Anyway… Has Dwight told you about the time he accidentally drove into a lake?” Laura announced as she looked between the two expectantly, mirth colouring her features. Kate’s eyebrows pulled together as she looked at Dwight who appeared to be embarrassed and then at Laura, holding back a laugh.  
“No, no he hasn’t…” Kate already began to start laughing before Laura threw herself into re-telling the tale of Dwight and how one time when he was mad and trying to mow down a walker, he didn’t see the dip at the edge of the road that took them straight into a lake. Kate was nibbling on her peach the whole way through, her eyes flitting between the two of them as they playfully argued.  
“So he sees this goddamn walker and hes all huffing and puffin and mad as fuck, he floors the gas pedal and BAM!” Laura smacked her hand down on the cafeteria table for emphasis, making Kate and pretty much everyone in the immediate vicinity jump.  
“Truck nose dives into the water… Anyway he's trying to open the door and I’m already out by now going around to his side and he just freaks...the...fuck...out!” Laura is now laughing with tears in her eyes and her chest heaving, Dwight trying to interject.  
“I was not freaking out-”  
“Yes you were! He was gasping for breath and all ‘Laura… Laura I can’t swim’” She did her best impression of Dwight flailing in the water, Kate’s body began to shake as she laughed along with her.  
“And he doesn't even realise that I am STOOD behind him, cause the water ain't even past waist deep!” At this point, Kate and Laura both burst out laughing simultaneously as Dwight sits there shaking his head, although a smile is playing at the corners of his mouth before he lets out a fake laugh, mocking their clear amusement.

A hushed silence fell over the entire cafeteria as all of their laughter eventually died out; Kate turned to look around and see why the atmosphere had changed only to find Negan standing at the other end of the room, watching them from a distance. Training her eyes back towards the table in front of her, her leg began to nervously bounce again. She cleared her throat before she spoke.  
“How long has he been standing there?” She asked as she turned to finish the piece of fruit she had been eating for almost ten minutes now.  
“....A while.” Dwight sighed as he downed his coffee and looked at her before he spoke again.  
“Whatever it is, it will only get worse the longer you avoid him.” Dwight looked at her pointedly as she stood from her seat.  
“I know I'm just not ready to talk to him yet, kinda blew up at each other.” She admitted sheepishly while brushing her hands off on her jeans, her fingers sticky with peach juice.  
“Anyway, I actually really enjoyed this but I need to take a shower-”  
“Yeaaah I didn’t wanna say anything but you smell worse than Dwight.” Laura laughed as she watched Kate leave, the sound of Laura and Dwight joking around making her smile as she left the cafeteria.

Kate’s body felt heavier than before as she made her way back to the communal living side of the compound, her feet suddenly ten times heavier as if they were cased in cement and her body began to ache; she couldn’t discern whether the sudden mood change had been from her own company or the clear disapproval etched on Negan’s face as he had watched her from a distance. She tried not to mull on it as she opened the door to ‘her’ room, a term that was most definitely a joke since she had been in there maybe twice since she arrived a week ago. The room was mercifully empty of any brooding male presence and as soon as the door closed, she began to rid herself of her dirty clothes and looked at her naked self in the mirror next to her chest of draws. She never really took the time to look at her body, it wasn’t something she was particularly fond of anyway. Her thighs were still slightly rounded although they had somewhat shrunk since the last time she took a moment to look at herself. She trailed her hands up her sides and felt the dip of her waist, pinching her hands on either side and frowning when they almost touched in the middle.  
 _Pretty sure you’ve never been able to do that…_ She thought to herself as she looked over her tawny skin. Most of her body remained remarkably unmarred from the apocalypse save for a few bruises here and there. The only permanent damage had been inflicted by the living, not the dead. Her heart was constantly heavy and the few new scars on her face were testament to the fight she had to put up now on a daily basis. Absently she thought to herself how ridiculous it was that she now feared her own company after rotting in that dark and tiny cell; if anything she was safer that way, even if she was a little more unhinged.   
_Maybe that’s what he wants. Maybe he wants to take you apart so he can put you back together how he likes it. Would that be so bad? You don’t even like you, maybe he can make you better and stronger._ The toxic thought slipped through her mind and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish it from her thoughts although it stayed with her when she wrapped her old towel around her naked body and made her way to the communal showers.

Now that she had experienced the absolute bliss of a hot shower in Negan’s quarters, the cold and spluttered spray of the communal bathroom was that little bit less enjoyable. She forced herself under the cold water and watched as her skin pebbled all over and stole the breath from her lungs, holding it inside until she got used to the temperature. It was moments like these when she had a task to focus on that she didn’t spiral so much in the pit of her despair. She could make a mental list of what she needed to do, get it done and move on. She pumped the soap dispenser into her small hands and lathered it up before scrubbing at her skin, careful to get under her nails, behind her ears and all the other spots that blood seemed to like to hide. The water began to warm by the time she moved on to shampoo her hair, releasing tension in her arms and shoulders that she didn’t even register as being there. Thankfully since Negan had conditioned her hair the day before, the state of her strands was a little less disastrous than usual, just the one rinse refreshing her scalp. 

She tried to chase away the memories of his hands on her body, the memory still hazy from her anxious and panic ridden state at the time, but the image of his hands on her in such a caring way sat like a weight in her stomach and pushed down on her chest. For a second she contemplated if she had been too harsh in her refusal, a thought that was chased away by the image of a blue eyed archer waiting for her. Her memory of his hands on her then assaulted her senses and she held in a breathy sigh at remembering the feeling of his thigh pushed up between hers, his mouth on her neck and his voice whispering praise, feeding her little Omega like the hungry little wolf she was. It was with a startling clarity that Kate heard voices approaching the showers, snapping her out of her reverie and realising that her hand had begun to travel to the apex of her thighs, her face burning a bright crimson as she mentally counted the last time she entered her heat.   
_Couldn’t have even been two weeks ago, t’fuck is going on with me?_ Her mind raced as she shut off the shower and grabbed the towel, wrapping it around herself. She kept her eyes trained on the tiled floor beneath her as she hurried past the voices that had snapped her out of her fantasy, scurrying back to her room.

Kate ripped her door open and sagged back against it with her eyes closed, her bare back pressing into the metal as she tried to calm herself back down but even with her eyes closed, she could smell him in her room without having to confirm he was there. In the state her body had just been in, the scent of pine and leather made her head swim when she heard a dark voice from the other side of the room address her.  
“Where you been all night, Peachy?” Negan asked in a voice that was menacingly calm, setting her nerves on edge straight away as she allowed her eyes to open. He was sat on her bed with his elbows resting on top of his jean clad thighs, his palms meeting in the middle as he rested his chin on top of his knuckles. He looked up at her with dark eyes and raised his eyebrows in a way that said ‘well?’  
“Couldn’t sleep so I stayed out-” She worked past the lump that was forming in her throat with the way he was looking at her, she pulled tighter at the towel covering her body.  
“Oh I know you fucking stayed out, doll. Where. Were. You.” He asked behind clenched teeth, Kate watched as the muscle rippled beneath his jaw, her mouth suddenly running dry.  
“You’re askin’ but it seems you already know.” She replied to him flatly, willing herself not to betray the nervousness in her voice because she knew she was on thin ice. 

Negan smirked in a way that didn’t quite reach his eyes before he pushed himself up to stand, his hand scratching down his stubbled mouth before he looked at her again.  
“...See, I’m tryin’ to figure out why the fuck you would rather spend your whole damn night and your mornin’ with Dwighty boy, than with me.” She hated to admit it, but her heart clenched when she detected even the most minute bit of hurt in his face, even if his voice didn’t show the betrayal he felt.  
“D’ya know how fuckin mad it makes me to see someone else gettin to hold you, make you fucking LAUGH and eat together. I should fucking beat his ass for even touching you and throw you down in that damn cell because clearly, you ain’t learned your lesson!” He screamed at her now, the tendons in his neck straining against his skin.  
“Don’t, please.” She replied in a whisper, her wet hair allowing droplets of water to trail down her cooling body.  
“Don’t what baby?” He cooed in a sickly sweet voice that was nowhere near as sincere as the term of endearment betrayed it to be. He came closer to her now, standing in front of her at grabbing distance and forcing her to tilt her head up to meet his eyeline.  
“Don’t beat his ass or don’t throw you in the cell?” He asked her with challenge in his voice, she knew that no matter how she answered, it would be the wrong answer when he was like this.  
“Either. M’sorry.” She mumbled looking down at her bare feet, her Omega finally winning out and making her concede even just a little bit.  
“I needed some space and I can’t think when you’re around me Negan-” She replied with honesty when he stepped closer to her, the leather of his jacket now pressing against her towel, the only thing separating her nakedness from his eyes.  
“You don’t need t’think angel you just need to fucking feel and get out of here all the damn time.” He replied as his finger pointed to her head, she closed her eyes when his fingers pushed into her wet hair and made her look back up at him, his eyes searching her face and finding torment behind the way her eyebrows pulled together. He knew she was fighting herself, he also knew it was a matter of time before she lost, until then he would wait.

Stepping back away from her, he allowed her some breathing space as the cloud of his scent left her nostrils, the breath she was holding finally escaping her parted lips in a controlled way that spoke volumes of her waning control.   
“Don’t ever walk away from me again.” He said with a finality to his voice that made her uneasy, he paused as he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head back.  
“You’re not gonna like this but, I gotta punish you… And not in the way you like.” His eyes trailed down her body then, noting the way she shifted on her feet at the memory of being pulled across his lap while she thanked him for every hit, her cheeks blazed with shame as she felt unwanted arousal settle in her stomach. He fucking smiled at her then, knowing exactly what she was thinking and shook his head, tutting all the while.  
“As much as Daddy would like to take his little kitten across his knee again, it aint really punishment for you, is it?” He asked rhetorically before he continued.  
“You’re on an outside ban, angel. No runs and no trips out until I say so. And no weapons either.” Her eyes widened in alarm when she looked to the pile of dirty clothes on her bed, noting that he had already taken her hunting knife and handgun, the ones she had only just earned herself back. 

Anger burned at her insides, pushing aside any other feeling that had been towards him.  
“You can’t do th-”  
“Yes I fucking can.” He interrupted her before he stepped forward and grabbed her face harshly between his forefinger and thumb.  
“You’re fucking lucky that that’s all you’re getting angel, so I suggest you shut your pretty mouth and just take it like a big girl before you get y’self into more trouble.” He challenged her with raised eyebrows and waited for her to blow on him, expecting a signature Kate move like a headbutt, sucker punch or slap across the face. She shocked him when she nodded in his grasp and swallowed. He pulled her closer to him and pressed a hard kiss to her forehead before he spoke.  
“See how easy it is t’be a good girl?” He spoke against her skin, her jaw clenched so tightly shut in her effort not to rip him a new one that she was surprised she didn’t crack a tooth. He looked back down at her with a wolfish grin, knowing in that moment how much it must be killing her to keep quiet.  
“I’ll be back later, got some shit to do Princess. You behave and I’ll lift your ban real soon, ok?” He asked out loud but didn’t expect an answer, she just stared at him blankly, her disdain clear in the way she pulled herself away from his touch; he would be lying if he didn’t admit that it stung.   
“Don’t be too mad, I’m just doin’ what’s best for you.” He sighed as if he genuinely believed that statement as he reached for the door and left her alone again, a scream threatening to burst from her throat in frustration. 

Kate felt as if the walls were closing in on her, she couldn’t do anything, couldn’t go out, couldn't speak to anyone. He might not have put her in a cell but he may as well have. She raided her draws then and pulled out some clean clothes, not even questioning how new things and clean items had shown up there again since the last time she had been there. As if it were some kind of perverse joke she hadn’t been let on, she fell back onto her behind when she came to the underwear that had been left for her. A lacey pair of nude boy shorts greeted her, again in exactly her size. A feeling somewhere between disgust and dismay pulled her lips into a thin line and she knew that she had three options. Wear the new set, wear Negan’s boxers from the day before, or wear nothing at all. Although none of these options appealed to her particularly, the defiance of refusing to wear any of his intimate gifts appealed to her the most, giving him the middle finger without really even trying. 

Without another thought, she tossed the set back in the draw and slammed it shut, rooting through another she stopped completely when her fingers found an old, worn Led Zeppelin t-shirt, not the same as her old one but strikingly similar. Checking underneath she found her old top, tears swimming behind her eyes as she smoothed over the fabric that she would never be able to bring herself to wear again. Someone had seen her old tee, knew that she didn’t want to wear it, but knew what it meant. She thought back to the first day when she had dressed in the infirmary while Simon waited for her, remembering his confusion when she couldn’t bring herself to put on that top when a look of understanding crossed his face. Her heart thawed a little more towards him when she realised that either he had mentioned it to someone else, or he had sought out something similar to bring her that little bit of comfort when she clearly felt so fucking alone that it choked her. 

A wave of gratitude washed over her as she pulled the top over herself after she fastened her bra in place, smiling to herself when it fitted her a little better than the oversized shirts she had been wearing for days. Finally, she pulled out the only two bottoms on offer; one was a slightly thicker pair of faded blue jeans with rips over the knees, the other another pair of denim shorts; this time they seemed a little smaller than the last. Out of curiosity she pulled them on and blushed furiously when the bottom hem just about covered her behind, but it was gonna be so hot outside that there was no way in hell she was wearing a full pair of jeans. Hastily, she dressed herself and pulled on her converse and tied her still wet hair in a loose bun on top of her crown before she looked over herself in the mirror again. Her legs looked longer than usual in such a short pair of shorts and she found herself tilting her head curiously. It would have to do. Anyway, she needed to be cool if she was gonna go outside in this heat, which she was despite Negan’s warning. As a final ‘fuck you’ she grabbed his shirt and underwear she had worn the day before and threw it in the trashcan for good measure, flipping off the items as she ripped the door open and stormed out. Today was as good a day as any to piss the big man off.

Carefully, Kate made her way to the courtyard and looked around to check the coast was clear; when she didn’t spot Simon, Dwight, Negan or even Laura near the truck depot she sighed in relief, noting that a few trucks were gone including Negan’s. At least she had a decent window to try and escape, she just didn’t know how she was gonna do it with no supplies, no weapon and no fucking idea where she was going. Right then it didn’t even matter where she was going or how long for, all she knew was that she needed to get around and just breath without someone watching her or breathing down her neck. She needed to get out of her own head and just focus on anything and what better way to do that than to ignore every single instruction Negan had given her and go outside the walls. 

Hastily, she made her way to the communal gardens, finding them mostly empty this time of day since most people were still in the cafeteria for breakfast. The fence behind the supply shed was hardly even guarded in this area, she noted, her hand running along the fence until she found a snag in the wire and looked closer to inspect it, a huge smile pulling at her mouth when she realised it had been pulled and tied back together by someone else before her.  
 _Clearly I’m not the only one who wants to get the fuck out of dodge…_ She mused to herself as she pulled apart the ties and opened a small enough gap for her to slip through, making sure it was sealed tight before she ran as fast as she could to the line of trees surrounding Sanctuary.

The breeze whipping at her bare legs and neck, the sound of trees moving above her and birds flitting between branches was all that she could hear past the thumping of her feet hitting the ground and her heart hammering in her chest. Her lungs sucked the air in around her greedily as if she could literally taste her freedom, her muscles springing to life as she just ran and ran and ran. The liberation of just running without purpose freed her mind of all the thoughts that weighed her down constantly, all she had to think about was where to place her feet, how to control her breath and look out for any stragglers heading in her direction. It must have been at least 20 minutes until she allowed her pace to slow, sweat trailing down her spine and settling at the dip of her lower back. The shade had afforded her some shelter from the sun, but ultimately the temperature began to suck some energy from her bones. Feeling as if she was a safe enough distance from Sanctuary to slow down, she entered into a light jog before she fully slowed, catching her breath as she smiled to herself, endorphins releasing into her body at the feeling of fully exerting herself physically for what felt like months even though it was probably more like days.

She carried on walking at a leisurely pace and revelled in the quiet of just being in nature rather than surrounded by people and concrete, the smell of earth and leaves and the hot sun calming her senses. After another ten minutes, she slowed her pace even further as a building began to come into view and she decided that if she was going to stay out even for just a few hours, she needed supplies to help keep her going. Heading away from the density of the trees, she squinted as she made out the shape of a run-down gas station. Checking the road before she made her way over, she listened for the rumble of any vehicles in the distance. When she was satisfied with the quiet, she darted across the road and came to a stop at the front of the station. It had definitely already been raided being so close to Sanctuary, she knew that, but she also knew that this didn’t mean it was completely void of anything useful. 

Pushing the door open quietly, she listened for the sounds of any life inside, thankful for the silence that met her. Sliding through the doorway, she squinted through the dust-filled store and was greeted with rows of empty shelves that laid on their sides. Kicking through the trash on the floor, she rooted around hoping to find anything of use. Pushing around the contents of the floor with her foot, she paused when she heard something roll and swoosh as if holding liquid; quickly she bent down and half held in place by the fallen shelving was a bottle of water. She snatched it up and sipped from it thirstily before she saved herself some for later. Next she just needed a weapon of any kind, pushing forward she found her way to the counter hoping beyond hope that there was a gun someone hadn’t found. She knew she was being extremely optimistic and so when she found an empty holster under the cashiers counter, she held back the groan of frustration that still threatened to spill from her mouth. Pushing around the papers under the desk and through the draws, her eyes stopped and focused on a large screwdriver at the back of the bottom draw.  
“This will have to do I guess.” She grumbled out loud before she stuffed it into her belt loop, making her way back outside.

For hours she just walked and ran and walked and ran whenever she felt like it, stopping under trees and leaning her head back against the rough bark; she felt her mind clear that little bit more with each minute that passed. It was the first time since Tara had died that the crushing reality of her own company didn’t consume her with panic, the need to be alert to her surroundings distracting her enough to stop her from spiralling into the deepest parts of the abyss. Her steps faltered when she heard movement around her, her eyes whipping to her left as she heard twigs snapping underneath feet, followed by a thud. Her heart sat in her mouth as she willed her muscles to keep still, holding her breath so not to give herself away. 

When her ears were only met with silence, she moved forwards but quickly stopped dead in her tracks when she came across a walker with an arrow embedded in it’s skull, her eyes darting in all directions as she tried not to let her hopes get the better of her, searching with frantic eyes. Just as she was about to start calling out, his smell hit her. Sandalwood. Tears began to swim behind her eyes, trying to convince herself she was imagining things, it couldn’t possibly be him, why would he be all the way out here?

Just as she cleared through a dense thicket, she came face to face with Daryl, his crossbow pointed in her direction and his finger on the trigger.  
“D….Daryl?” His name barely whispered past her lips as relief threatened to choke her, her arms and legs tense until he lowered his weapon, disbelief pulling at his expression. The moment he did, her instincts kicked in. She ran towards him faster than she had all day and threw herself into his arms full force where he readily caught her, his weapon dropping carelessly to the ground beneath them as his arms crushed her against his chest and lifted her from the ground. 

There was no hesitation making her actions halt with anxiety when she was with him, she didn’t overthink or consider consequences as she wrapped herself tightly around him, her legs wrapping around his waist and her nose burying itself into his neck as she inhaled deeply, his familiar smell overwhelming her until the her joy gave way to relief and a sob burst from her mouth. She cried into his neck as she mumbled into his skin.  
“M’sorry. M’so, so sorry. Missed you, so fucking much.” Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to form words.  
A calloused hand made its way to the side of her face, cupping her jaw and pulling her back enough from his neck for him to push his lips against hers, the fingers of the hand holding her against him digging into the side of her thigh. She cried as she kissed him with everything she had, her fingers winding into the hair that gathered at the nape of his neck, clutching and trying desperately to pull him closer, her chest pushing flush against his when a growl vibrated in response from deep within his chest. His reaction was all the encouragement she needed as her lips parted, her tongue licking gently at his bottom lip and slipping inside when his mouth granted her access, a deep groan leaving his throat as he gripped her thighs tighter, a needy sound escaping her mouth. 

When they both began to run out of air, Daryl reluctantly pulled away from her, resting his forehead against hers as he looked into her dark brown eyes.  
“Has he hurt you? Has he… Has he put his hands on you?” He asked in a voice that threatened to break, betraying his anger as he took in the fresh scar on her face and frowned. She shook her head, a smile pulling at her mouth when she replied.  
“No, no that’s from me headbutting him. Slapped him too.” A hint of pride laced her voice as she watched a smirk pull at the side of his mouth, running his nose along the length of hers.  
“Such a fuckin’ brave girl, you ain’t scared of nothin huh?” He asked her gruffly, his thumb rubbing a soothing pattern up the side of her jaw and back again. Kate relaxed into his touch instantly, it didn’t matter that they were in the middle of nowhere; she realised then that he was the home she had been searching for as fresh tears spilled over her cheeks.  
“S’wrong baby girl?” He asked softly, his thumb catching her tears and wiping them away, Kate’s throat clicked as she tried to push the words out that she needed to say, knowing that it would hurt them both.  
“The longer I’m there, the harder it is to fight him.” She admitted in a small voice, ashamed at the truth of her words. He nodded as he huffed out a breath, the feeling of it tickling the side of her face.  
“That’s not your fuckin fault Kate, you can’t help what you are and what he is. S’not your fault.” He reassured her although she could sense his anger, knowing that Negan was putting in the effort to pull her away from him.  
“Don’t go back.” He announced as he stared resolutely into her eyes, confusion pulling his brows together when she shook her head and her bottom lip wobbled.  
“Daryl I have to go back-”  
“No you don’t! Why the fuck could you possibly need to go ba-” He raised his voice at her, frustration spilling over as she loosened her legs from around his waist and began to pull away from him, panic written all over him as he tried to keep her close to him.  
“Beth is alive.” The words rushed from her mouth and silenced him in an instant, she swallowed before she continued.  
“She’s alive, was forced to marry him and be part of his… collection.” Her nose screwed up in disgust, Daryl trying to ignore the fact that she sounded even the slightest bit jealous.  
“Are they bonded or what?” He tried to push for more information.  
“No, no he refuses. Says it makes him weak… But, he keeps asking me to be one of his. I keep holding him off but I don’t know how long it’ll last, especially since… especially since Sherry is gone.” Her throat restricted around the woman’s name.  
“Was that her name?” He asked, making Kate’s head whip back as she looked at him, before she could ask the question he continued.  
“I’ve been watchin’ over you, can sometimes see in the courtyard… Saw some of what happened-” Kate began to crumple in on herself, knowing that Daryl had seen that side of her, even when it was forced out of her by Negan made her want to throw up.  
“S’not your fault, Kate.” He grabbed both sides of her face and forced her to look up at him, trying to ground her back in the present with his touch, his voice, anything he could.  
“I have to go back.” She croaked out again.  
“I can’t leave her there. She was trying to get me out, he found out and was gonna make me kill her. Sherry took the blame. I can’t leave her behind Daryl I-I can’t!” She panicked as the words rushed from her mouth and she tried to catch her breath, he shushed her all the while and pulled her to his chest, resting his cheek on the crown of her head and inhaling deeply.  
“I know, s’ok.” he tried to soothe her the only way her knew how, whispering gentle affirmations of how she was good and how she was brave, the words wrapped around her and offered protection from the negativity of her own mind that told her she was worthless and alone.  
"I don't wanna be his Daryl, I lose myself so quick an he knows what he's doin I just- I don't wanna be his. I wanna be yours." She sobbed out her last words as he again pushed his mouth against hers, stealing the air from her lungs and quieting her rioting mind. Between kisses, he parted from her mouth briefly.  
"Just promise you'll come back. Promise you'll come back t'me." Kate nodded her head, his hands still holding either side.  
"Promise." She offered him a watery smile as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

They walked through the thicket of the woods together hand in hand, Kate not ready to let go of him physically or mentally. Daryl had ridden on his bike almost all they way there, parking a mile back from the road to keep his tracks covered. Kate only let go of his hand when he needed it to kick-start the engine, revving it to life and breaking the quiet around them. Swinging a leg over the seat he waited for her, offering her a hungry look when he saw her pulling at the hem of her shorts down to try and cover the roundness of her thighs before she slid in behind him, her legs resting either side of his body and hugging around him. Before they set off he allowed one of his hands to fall from the handlebars and drop to cup the outside of her knee, smoothing his hand upwards before giving her a gentle squeeze; the sensation sent warmth through her body as she nestled in as close as humanly possible, her cheek coming to rest between his shoulder blades. The bike lurched forward and she held on tightly, the hum of the engine soothing her as they rode for an hour back toward the Sanctuary. 

When they were a couple of miles out, Daryl pulled the bike over and left the engine running but let it rest on the stand, following Kate when she got up and stretched off her limbs.  
"M'scared to go back." Kate admitted as she hesitated to start her walk back; she knew what was waiting for her, she knew she had fucked up, but she couldn't bring herself to regret it, not when she had spent this time with Daryl when she needed it so badly.  
"Don't be scared. Not of him, not y'self… not who he wants you t'be. You're fucking fearless. Don't let him make you forget it." He said with an edge of finality as he allowed a hand to grab her by the belt loop and pull her towards him, his hands resting at the small of her back.  
"I know f'sure I won't be able to forget seeing you in these goddamn shorts." He half joked with her playfully, trying to lighten her darkening mood and successfully drawing out a sheepish grin from her that came out full force when his hands dipped lower to the swell of her behind and gave a firm squeeze before he swatted it.   
"Y'need to leave before I change my mind and haul you away, keep you in a cave somewhere all to myself." He ran his nose up the side of her neck and inhaled, memorising her scent and imprinting it on his brain like it wasn't there already.  
"That doesn't sound so bad…" she hummed and laughed a little when he swatted her again.  
"Only if y'dont wanna walk anywhere anytime soon, baby girl." Daryl grunted in response as he pulled his face back and looked her in the eyes showing how deadly serious he was. Kate's face turned bright red in response and squeezed her thighs together subconsciously at the use of her pet name. She watched in a trance as his tongue moved out of his mouth to wet his lower lip. A frustrated whine left her when he pulled her closer, planted one final kiss on her mouth and pushed her away.   
*Go before I change my mind." He grumbled.  
"Gonna hold you to the no walking thing!" She shouted over the engine, laughing at the way he shook his head as he slowly pulled away. Kate stood at the side of the road and watched as he rode off and into the setting sun, her heart dropping when he left the horizon and she was left alone again.

Reality began to set in the closer she got to the compound, her muscles bunched with anxiety, her heart thudded in her chest and she tried to ignore the shake that threatened to run from the tips of her fingers right down to her toes. When she got to the fence her heart sank when she saw that there was fresh wiring covering over the hole she had escaped through and now, it had been welded shut.   
_Fuck. Well he definitely fucking knows…._ she forced herself to swallow past the lump in her throat as she knew all she could do was walk right through the front gates.

The moment she came into view of the guard post, a voice she couldn't see the source of ordered her to stop; putting her hands up to show she didn't have any weapons, her eyes finally landed on Simon who jumped down to let her in. When she was face to face with him, she heard him heave a heavy sigh.  
"... You know I've gotta take you to him, right cupcake?" He asked with regret in his voice, watching as Kate nodded weakly and followed behind him. Simon whistled and spoke to someone, asking them to take watch while he was gone. The walk to Negan's quarters was like she was on a death march, fully aware of her fate the entire way. Before they got to his room, Kate hesitated near the doorway.  
"Thank you for the clothes Simon." She thanked him quietly and looked up at him, watching in confusion when he shook his head.   
" I might have got them, but it wasn't my idea. Was his." He stated simply, guilt eating at her insides when she realised that all of her comforts had been afforded to her by Negan.

Even just stepping into the room she could feel the tension hanging thick in the air, Simon ushered her in before he called out.   
"Boss! She's home." He shouted into the space making Kate jump on the spot, he offered her an apologetic look before he backed out of the door and closed it behind him, leaving Kate to look through the apartment that was only lit by the setting sun filtering through the windows. Kate looked around her and when she didn't see Negan in the living or kitchen area, she began to walk towards the bedroom, gingerly pushing the door open. 

That sight that greeted her made her mouth run dry; Negan was pacing in his bedroom in front of the windows, the setting sun illuminating him in an ominous orange glow. His usual jacket was discarded on the edge of the bed leaving him in his jeans, white top and combat boots. She watched the way his arms flexed at his side's when he clenched and unclenched his fists before he turned to face her.  
"Where the fuck have you been?" He asked her in a voice that was deceptively calm and when she didn't answer, this time his voice boomed in her ears.  
"Where have you been?!" He demanded again from distance, not trusting himself to come any closer.  
"I needed to get out, I felt like I was suffocating!" She screamed back at him, her hands going into her hair and pulling at the strands.  
"You make me fucking crazy, you made me a murderer! You take and take and take from me until I don't know who I am anymore!" She screamed again, finally blowing a fuse that he would have the audacity to be angry at her.

This time when he stalked towards her, she forced herself not to tremble beneath him and held her chin high, forcing her eyes to bore back into his in challenge.   
"You are exactly who you always were, doll. I've just pulled the lid off that pressure cooker of a temper of yours!" He leered down at her, a grim smirk pulling at his mouth.  
"No I'm not-"  
'Yes you are! And guess fucking what? You were already a murderer! How many of my guys you killed before I finally found you… 6?7? I didn't make you into anything sweetheart. Fucking news flash Kate, it's why you ain't afraid of me… your more scared of yourself!" He smiled down at her when she failed to respond knowing that he had hit her where it hurt the most.   
"What's the matter kitten, cat got your tongue?" He mocked her again before she pushed her hands against his chest to try and force him away from her, tears of frustration and anger building in her eyes.  
"I hate you." She hissed out between clenched teeth, her anger overtaking her ability to see past anything but the onslaught of emotion overtaking her sense.  
"Nah. I don't think you do doll, y'wouldnt be so upset if you did." He stated, smiling down at her cockily when she tried to back away from him. 

Suddenly, Negan whistled between his teeth and his bedroom door opened revealing two men waiting. Kate looked confused as she regarded them and looked back at Negan in question.  
"Fuck, my apologise baby s'rude of me. These boys are here to take you back to your cell. Clearly didn't learn your goddamn lesson and I've been going soft on ya…." He started as Kate shook her head from side to side and tried to back away to the furthest corner of the room away from Negan and the newcomers.   
"Please Negan, p-please don't." She stuttered past her words catching in her mouth.  
"S'too late. Damage has been done and you need to pay the price." He finished before he waved the men in and they rounded on Kate from both sides. Without so much of a second thought, she pulled the screwdriver from her belt loop and held it out in front of her, ready to lunge. Before she could make any moves to defend herself, one of the men produced a weapon that extended from behind them, Kate looked at it with her eyebrows pinched together before it dawned on her what it was. A fucking cattle prod. She tried to stay as out of reach as possible but the moment she tried to dive out of the way, the prod connected with her bare thigh and electricity shot through her veins, a scream dying in her throat.  
"Told you boys to come prepared." She vaguely heard Negan's voice commenting as she laid prone on the floor. The last thing she saw as she was pulled out of his apartment was him turning his back on her and kicking his door closed. 

Even though her body was in agony, she continued to fight all the way down to the cells and only stopped when they reached the familiar door waiting for her. She expected the room to be the same dark and empty space and frowned when the gentle glow of light was now in there, a dull bulb hanging from the light fixture above. It didn't make sense to her why he would offer light in the room until the door was closed behind her and she was alone again; when she looked at the walls, surrounding her were Polaroids taped as far as the eye could see. She squinted to make out the pictures and when she saw them fully, her stomach lurched and she keeled over on the floor, vomit hitting the concrete between her hands. Staring back at her, were photographs of Tara and Sherry, headless and prone on the floor.

When she opened her eyes, all she could see was horror and gore, when she closed them it was even worse. She saw herself battering Tara and Sherry simultaneously as Daryl, Beth, Maggie and all of Alexandria looked on. All the while she imagined a menacing smile on her face as she practically bathed in their blood. When that became too much, she opened her eyes and the dim glow of the light above her highlighted all of the photos in front of her again. She cried for hours as she slipped in and out of consciousness, her throat dry and hoarse, her body screaming in physical and emotional pain as she begged for anyone to just let her out over and over again. 

She didn't know how long she had been in there; all time standing still when she was constantly being pulled from overwhelming grief straight to awakeness and the hatred of her own company. Her body rocked backwards and forwards as she tried in any way to control the way her body shook. She felt her sanity slipping away as she sang softly to herself, sniffling as she tried to hold her sobs in. The hushed words of 'you are my sunshine' trying to bring her comfort, images of her Momma, lazy Sundays and sunflowers flooding her brain. Just as reality was slipping through her fingers like trying to catch water, a note slipped underneath the crack of the door, catching her attention. She turned the paper over between shaking fingers before she read it silently to herself:  
 _Help is coming._


	14. Hell's Bells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kate’s hands shook violently as her fingers smoothed over the piece of paper, her fingertips running over the indentations left behind by the writer.  
 _Help is coming? From who? Where? When? Who even sent this?_  
Her mind spun as she tried to figure out all of those questions, grateful for the distraction from the polaroids staring down at her. She didn’t know how long she had been in there, but by now she knew the images by heart as if they weren’t already burned into her brain and retinas. The fact that someone had taken the time to photograph the evidence of their violence made her sick to her stomach; did they do it for reasons such as this? As another way to remind people of the absolute psychopath running their day to day lives?

It had been days, she knew this much. The only way she knew how long it had been was by how many times she had been afforded small amounts of food and water. Since she was thrown in this hell hole, she had counted six visits from four different people, it had to have been at least 3 days by now. Her bones were weary from lying on hard concrete for hours on end, her eyes burned from the constant dull light above her head and her skin itched from the dried sweat that coated her body. Each hour seemed to blend into one another as she tossed and turned on the bare floor, trying to keep her eyes squeezed shut to keep out the images around her but even when she did close her eyes, the ghosts of her mistakes would greet her like an old friend, replaying all the scenes she wished with every ounce of her being that she would forget. Her hair clung to the nape of her neck and the sides of her face from where it had escaped the confines of her bun; the strands usually golden brown with hues like sunshine were now dull and lifeless, much like how she felt. 

She hated him; she hated him with a strength that made her lose sight of herself and become someone else entirely and at the same time, she knew that if he came through that cell door now, her Omega would beg for his forgiveness and still crave his praise like an addict dying for their next fix. What was becoming harder to discern was where the line between her and her Omega began and ended. Were they one and the same? Had she been this way all along and just not realised until now? Her contemplations were cut short by the sound of footsteps making an approach down the corridor and a set of keys jingling in the distance.  
 _Shit shit shit the note, what the fuck. If he sees this I’m dead or worse, someone else will be and you will be the dumb fuck that has to put them out of their misery!_  
Kate re-read the contents of the note again as if to memorise those 3 little words before she shoved the paper into her mouth and chewed with more enthusiasm than she had shown to any meal in months. The lack of saliva in her mouth made it nearly impossible to break down the paper between her teeth, turning it over in her mouth until it was small enough to swallow and not catch in her throat.  
 _It would be your luck that you would choke, cough it up at Negan’s feet only for him to read it anyway…_ Her thoughts mocked her and she swallowed a few times, trying to push it as far down as possible, the sound of footsteps an ominous countdown. Her nostrils flared as she tried to contain her growing anxiety, her heart stuttering in the confines of her chest when the noise stopped. A long pause stretched out and for a moment, she imagined she could hear breathing on the other side of the door as she held her own breath in trepidation. 

She heard a set of keys rattle before the door was pushed open by a combat boot, Kate’s face almost sagging in relief when Dwight looked down at her, sympathy all over his face as he took in the state of her.  
“C’mon sunshine, gotta take you up to see him.” He stated in a voice that was soft as a whisper and Kate was thankful, she didn’t know if the full boom of Negan’s voice greeting her would be too much of a shock to the system right now. She nodded in response as she forced her legs to work after days of misuse, stumbling like a baby deer. Kate squinted as her eyes adjusted to the change in light, thankfully it wasn’t as harsh as going from pitch black to daytime, but she was happy to see the back of her polaroid hell, mentally praying she would never have to see any of the photos again. Having the images engraved on her conscience was enough of a reminder. They walked to Negan’s quarters in silence, she could tell Dwight was hesitant to speak to her and she wondered idly whether Negan had warned him away from her after his very jealous streak became apparent. 

The corridors and courtyard were mercifully empty and noting the setting sun, she realised most people were probably at dinner or settling down for the night. The walk up the stairs felt like it lasted forever, making a trip that she did not want to reach the destination of but regardless, she found herself being ushered through the door before Dwight offered her an apologetic look and closed the door behind him. Kate made her way into the living space and looked at the couch longingly; days of sitting, laying and standing on concrete making her pine for anything comfortable. She sat down on the couch and groaned in response to being surrounded by something soft; her bliss was short lived.  
“Did you miss me, Angel? Cause I sure as shit missed that face.” He asked her as he stepped into the living space, Lucille balanced on his shoulder as ever. The silence he was met with didn’t seem to anger him as much as it usually did, he even seemed somewhat amused by it.  
“Well that’s just damned rude, came all the way fresh from a run t’come an see you. Tell you I miss you and you give me the silent treatment? Oh, Peach. C’mon now, y’not happy to see Daddy?” He walked closer to her now, his grin spreading to each side of his face and flashing his pearly white straight teeth.

Kate let her breath rush out of her mouth before she croaked out a response, her self preservation kicking in; she needed to stay in his good books, at least for a few hours.  
“Yes.” She replied simply, her head leaning back to look at him as she stayed glued to her spot on the couch, her eyes flitting between Negan and Lucille. Every time she looked at that bat, she could remember her hands wrapped around the polished wood and the weight of it in her hands as she brought it down with such a force. She compelled herself not to look at it, instead focusing on the man in front of her.   
“Thatta girl. Since you’re being so nice, you’ve got two options of where to go from here.” He began, finally coming toe to toe with her converse and looking down at her where she sat.  
“Option 1 - You go get cleaned up, we have an adult conversation where you don’t run the fuck away and you spend some time with me.” He flashed her a grin that spoke volumes to what his intentions were with _that_ conversation and time spent together.   
“Or option 2 - You let your pride swallow you hole and get thrown back in that cell until I’m in my next good mood and who knows when that will be...” He finished his sentence and let his eyes roam Kate’s face, greedy to take in her features after days of separation.   
“The first one…. Please.” She nearly choked on the final word but knew ultimately, she needed to sweeten him up. At least she would let him think he had broken her, although in truth, he probably already had.   
“Good choice, Peach!” His voice spiked in volume, making her jump as he rocked back on his heels. She didn’t miss the way his eyes darkened at the sight of her beneath him at such an angle; even in the state she was in, he looked at her as if he were a starved man and she was a steak dinner. He offered his ungloved hand down to her and with some hesitation, Kate unfolded her hands from her lap and took it, the feeling of warm skin grasping hers was otherworldly after days alone. 

He yanked her up with such force that she went from sitting to standing in less than a second, the change in position making her head spin from her lack of food and energy. He caught her by the waist and pulled her close to him, inhaling at the side of her neck before he frowned deeply, his eyebrows pulling together in the middle when he pulled back to study her face, a menacing look crossing his features.  
“The fucking hick…. Really?” He asked in a voice that dripped with disbelief as he allowed Lucille to rest against the couch behind Kate, bringing his other hand up to clamp down hard on the back of her neck, making her wince. He laughed when she pulled a confused face at him, clearly her line of thought had not caught up with him; sometimes he forgot just how new to the alpha/omega thing Kate was, of course she didn’t know.  
“I can smell him on you, so don’t try to fucking lie to me… You let him touch you?” He stated while looking down at her, watching the way her jaw clenched shut with refusal to answer him. He squeezed harder this time and a needy whine left the back of her throat, surprising them both. A dark chuckle left his chest and made tension settle in the pit of her stomach.  
“Oh but it doesn't seem like he **touched** you huh? Or if he did… He didn’t do it properly.” He mocked as he loosened the hand at the back of her neck and allowed it to pull at the stray strands that stuck to her nape, tilting her face upwards and towards him.   
“Did he touch you….here?” He asked as the hand at her waist travelled upwards and settled underneath her breast and when she didn't respond, he moved his hand further upwards and held the full swell in the palm of his hand, pinching her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Kate jumped a little in response, her breathing becoming erratic as hints if arousal pulled at her body.  
“N-no.” She whispered in response, her eyes darting between his eyes and his mouth.  
“... What about….Here?” His hand travelled downwards and cupped the crotch of her shorts, pushing against the heat he felt swelling beneath his fingers. Kate stifled a groan that threatened to spill from her mouth by sinking her teeth into her bottom lip and shaking her head; he watched the action and his eyes darkened in response. 

Bringing his hand up to the side of her face, he plucked her bottom lip from between her teeth and left his thumb there, watching her mouth.  
“That’s my job.” His words were hot against her mouth, his face only inches from her as she stared into his hazel eyes, her breath catching in her throat. The Omega within Kate roared to life, her lips parting a little as his thumb slipped inside, watching his face when she gave one hard suck at the pad. Her little wolf stretched with satisfaction when she saw his pupils fully dilate and he muttered out a ‘fuck’ in response.   
“Nobody get’s to fucking touch you but me. Not even you, Angel…” He rasped with a voice as rough as sandpaper. Kate’s mind was reeling, she hated him, couldn’t stand him, didn’t want to breathe the same air as him.  
 _Why do I feel like I need him? Tell him to go to hell! Walk out of the fucking room! Headbutt him right in his smug face like last time! Break the hand that is touching you right where you need him to! Wait….What?_  
Her thoughts were hurtling forward at such a speed that even she got whiplash from how hot and cold her body was blowing. All of her inner monologue told her to run away or fight against him, yet the little wolf in her wanted so desperately to please him, to feel good after days of feeling worthless and alone. She just wanted to feel something other than the crushing grief and loneliness that ate at her insides, even when he was the source of her pain.

As if he understood what she needed before she even did, his hand at the back of her neck held her in place while his mouth sealed over hers. Her first instinct was to push him back and hit him in the chest, anything that would put an end to the path this was ultimately going down. She wasn’t his, he wasn’t hers and never would be. He wasn’t _him_. He wasn’t Daryl. Every fibre of her being screamed at her to stop, but the wolf inside of her screamed louder. It screamed at her to seek comfort from an alpha, to feel good, wanted, needed. Even for a small amount of time after days of being so alone. Negan stood back from her and stared down into her eyes, watching the torment behind them dance.  
“Y’want Daddy to make you feel good, you gotta say the magic words, Peach...” He purred, his nose running the length of hers and looking at her through heavy lidded and lust filled eyes. He knew she was going to break. The hand that had been at the front of her denim shorts slipped under the fabric of her shirt and trailed up her bare torso, leaving gooseflesh in its wake before pushing under the lace of her bra and plucking at the nipple, his thumb rubbing over the peak. Kate’s breath came out stuttered as she tried to fight every instinct in her body, but it was a losing battle. 

Arousal began to pool between her thighs even just from his proximity, let alone his bare skin on hers and his smell overwhelming her. He refused to accept her silence as an answer and so decided to push her further, his hand slipped from her chest and down to her stomach, resting on her hip bone when he pushed his thumb at the dip between her hip and pelvis, making her breath catch in her throat. Her heart galloped in her chest when the tips of his fingers reached the hem of her shorts, toying with the fabric there before his hand slid over the front of the fabric and held her at the apex of her thighs.  
She could feel the heat of his palm there waiting and her hips tried to buck forward of their own volition, his hand retreated back upwards and a frustrated noise left her mouth, causing a smirk to pull at the corners of his mouth.   
“You know what to say kitten, if I keep having to remind you to reply, you're going over my knee.” He repeated. 

She hated herself, she hated him, but most of all she hated her omega.  
“Please.” She whispered with a shaking voice and as soon as the words left her mouth, his hand slipped down and past the waist and of her denim and cupped her firmly, his middle and forefinger easily slipping between her folds from how wet she was.  
“Oh Angel, did you purposely forget your underwear?” He cooed and nuzzled his stubbled mouth at the side of her neck before his teeth found the tender spot of her pulse point and bit down firmly, making her knees buckle slightly beneath her. His fingers slid back and forth between her entrance and the hood of her clit, ignoring the bundle of nerves purposely to bring her to the point of madness.  
“Answer me.” He demanded as his other hand moved from her neck to her jaw and held it firmly in place, watching as her pupils completely blew out with lust, almost turning black.  
“Yes.” She hissed back, her compliance earning her a firm stroke upwards until the pad of his fingers lingered over her clit and drew slow and agonising circles, her mouth hung open as she fought to pull oxygen into her lungs.  
“And when you did that, did you do it because you were goin' to see that hick, or cause you wanted to piss Daddy off and get his attention?" He murmured hotly at the shell of her ear as he began to pick up his pace, making Kate mewl in response. 

Her lack of a worded reply made him pull back to regard her, his ministrations slowing much to her chagrin as she realised her mistake too late when his hand retracted from her shorts.  
"Warned you princess." He offered as his way of an explanation and watched her reaction as he pulled his fingers up to his mouth, the evidence of her arousal shining on his skin before he stuck the digits into his mouth and made a show of licking them clean; the lewd display made her clench her thighs together and a needy noise escape her mouth.  
"Fuck… you even taste like honey, my sweet lil Peach…" Kate stood so mesmerised that it barely even registered with her when he turned them around and he sat down on the couch that had been behind her, his hands wrapped around her hips and yanking her forwards and burying his nose at the crotch of her denims, Kate's breathing stuttered at his primal display.  
"So fucking good…." Her purred and the vibration of his voice did nothing to calm her nerves.  
"But still I'm a man of my word!" Negan cut through the silence and pulled at the buttoned front of her shorts; Kate's hand shot out in hesitation and he offered her a pointed look, his hands trying again and this time he popped the button and pulled the zipper down, the sound of the metal teeth opening ringing in her ears.  
"Y'get 10 and you'll thank me for each one, just like last time." He stated plainly as he positioned her next to him before pulling her over his lap, her chest resting on the other side of the couch and her behind sticking up proudly in his lap. Hooking his fingers through the belt loops, he pulled the denim down over the swell of her behind and left them halfway down her thighs, restricting her movement. 

Kate's voice seemed to have been stolen from her as her omega sat in the driver's seat, putting her need to please above her own need to fight, bite, scratch and wiggle her way to freedom. Her body tensed when she felt a warm hand rub across her cheeks and give a gentle squeeze, offering her a false sense of security right before he brought his palm down for the first hit. Once the slight sting subsided, she felt the licks of arousal radiating warmth from her skin and straight to her centre.  
"One, thank you." She tried to sound unphased, although she was sure he could feel her heartbeat thundering against his thighs. Upping the anti, this time the next hit was the hardest he had ever given her, making her soft flesh wobble under his hand before he brought it down again in the exact same spot, stealing her breath from her before she quickly responded, her mind and body reeling from the sensation.  
“T-three, thank you!" She squeaked this time.  
"Did you do it to piss me off or to see him?" He demanded again, repeating his question from earlier as he smacked his hand down in the same area, a pink outline of his hand starting to appear on her flesh. This time her lack of a response really pissed him off; he hated repeating himself and this was something that was becoming a habit between them. This time he brought his hand down four times in quick succession, his other hand roughly pushing his fingers into her hair and yanking her head back, making her neck strain and look at him from the side.  
"F-for you! Eight! Th-thank you Daddy!" Her voice was rushed and breathy and the moment the last word hung in the air, her entire body burned red with shame and embarrassment. She held her breath in her mouth while awaiting his response, feeling him stir beneath her, his blatant approval now pressing into her belly. Negan's hand released her hair a little and wound around to the front of her throat before pressing his mouth against her thunderous pulse.  
"That's. Fucking. Better." He bit out through clenched teeth, but there was no anger in his voice, only restrained lust as he gently put pressure on the column of her throat. 

He soothed her skin for a little longer this time before his hand came down again, the force of the slap ringing through the otherwise silent room. Kate sucked in a breath as tears swam behind her eyes, the repeated strikes to the same area making her skin turn hot as a proud imprint of Negan's hand now branded her.  
"Nine! Thank you!" She tried to hold back the wobble in her voice, but the lack of the pet name being used seemed to irk him again, his hand coming straight down on her behind the hardest it ever had, making Kate sob in response before she spoke again.  
"Ten! Thank you! Th-thank you Daddy!" This time when she finished speaking she allowed the sobs to creep up her throat and out of her mouth, her shoulders shaking.  
"Such a fuckin good girl aint'cha hmm?" He cooed down her ear, making her Omega preen in delight at the praise. 

The hand that had been striking her moved over her rounded flesh before his fingers dipped underneath and held her sex from behind, cursing to himself when he felt how she had soaked between her thighs and coated the inside of her legs.   
"Just love pushing my buttons and having my attention? S’that it, Angel?" He rasped, putting pressure on his hand and squeezing when she didn't reply.  
"M'sorry I-I can't help it-" her voice cut off when she felt two thick fingers slide into her from behind, her toes curled in her shoes, reminding her that they were both still fully clothed, her back aching from the uncomfortable position he kept her in.  
"Poor baby. Don't you know you always have my attention all the fucking time? Can't look anywhere or be anywhere without that face or smell haunting my every thought…" a smirk crossed his face when he felt her walls tighten at his words, his Alpha growling and demanding that he have more of her, see more, feel more, taste more.   
"Don't even know that Daddy hasn't played with a single one of his dolls since you came here and well, that has upset a lot of people… not just me…" As if to drive home his point, he thrusted upwards as she again felt his cock throbbing underneath her. She didn't know why, but the knowledge that he had been unable to be with anyone else brought her a greater amount of satisfaction than it should have.  
"Good." She turned her face to the side and looked up at him, catching the pull of humour at his mouth as his other hand smoothed under the fabric of her shirt and up her spine before coming back down to rest on the hot hand print left on her behind, all the while his fingers pumping inside of her at a slow pace. Kate’s breathing became laboured when he pulled his two fingers from her entrance and slid them upwards, pressing firmly on the little bundle of nerves that had been too neglected so far, her back arched painfully and her neck strained from the weight of her upper body resting down.   
“S’fucking good is it Angel? Thought you weren’t territorial?” He moved his fingers faster, causing a muffled moan to come from Kate’s mouth, a pressure building between her thighs that was making it increasingly harder to think. She felt him shift beneath her as he bent down to press his mouth against her ear and face, his lips grazing the skin there with his stubble.  
“I tell you what… You admit that you’re jealous of other girls being near your Daddy, then maybe… Just maybe I might let you cum.” She felt the smile pull at his mouth when she let out another groan, his pace increasing all the while she felt the beginnings of an orgasm threatening to crash over her. Her entire body tensed as she tried to hold it back; she didn’t want to admit that she had been jealous. She hadn’t been, had she? 

Sensing her reluctance, he thrust his fingers back inside of her and snaked his other hand beneath her to toy with her clit at the same time. The moment he felt her entire body shake beneath his hands, he knew he had her cornered.  
“If you cum without asking first you will absolutely regret it, Peach.” He threatened through gritted teeth, the only other sounds in the room were the lewd, wet slap of his hands stimulating her drenched core.  
“N-negan plea-”  
“Admit it!” He demanded again, feeling her body on the brink of hurtling over the precipice.  
“I was jealous, ok!! Please let me-” Her breath was stuttered as she tried to hold herself back with every muscle in her body clenching, sweat redecorated her already dirty skin with her effort to hold herself back.   
“Cum, Angel.” He rasped down her ear, the three letters she was waiting to hear echoed through her brain when she finally allowed her muscles to relax even just a fraction, letting the overwhelming tidal wave of pleasure take over her entire body. Heat radiated from her core and exploded out through the rest of her body when she felt a rush of arousal gush from between her legs, in the background she heard Negan cursing as he carried on working his fingers in and out of her relentlessly. She tried to arch her body away from him, the sensations all too much when he carried on rubbing at her oversensitive clit, whining noises leaving her throat as she felt a second wave build without warning.  
“I think we can do better than that, Kitten, show me what I’ve been missing.” He encouraged her as he bit down on the side of her neck, tantalisingly close to her adrenal gland where he would leave his mark were they bonded. The sensation of his teeth marking her skin alongside his hands working her tipped her over the edge a second time, distantly she heard her own voice screaming in bliss, curses and thank you’s pouring from her mouth without her own permission. 

His hands began to slow when he was sure he had pulled all he could from her, his hands moving from the apex of her thighs to soothe up and down her back, all the while whispering praise as he sat her up. He took in the flushed look on her face and parted lips from catching her breath before he held her face with one hand, her chin between his thumb and forefinger, bringing her mouth to his, he spoke.  
“You let him touch you again, I’ll kill him in front of you.” He stated matter of factly, a hesitant nod from Kate was the only response he received, but for now he seemed happy with this. He pushed his mouth against her’s in a chaste kiss before he stood abruptly, running his hand through his hair and then over his stubbled chin. He grabbed Lucille before he went to the door, not turning back to look at her when he spoke.  
“You should go take a shower, I have some shit to take care of before I can call it a day.” Kate didn’t have anything to say, too stunned at the fact that he was leaving her after what had just happened, any words she did have died in her mouth the moment the door clicked shut and was then locked behind him.  
 _What did I do wrong? Why has he gone?_  
The needy little wolf within her convinced her that she had done something wrong, making him want to leave, howling at the loss of the only person to have provided her intimacy in days.  
 _Maybe Tina was right, you don’t belong in here. Just his ‘chubby new toy...’_  
Her words viciously echoed around her head as she pulled her shorts up, shame staining her entire body that she had given into him so easily. Her body switched into autopilot as she went to the bathroom and stripped, hoping to wash away the embarrassment that made it almost impossible to breathe.

\------- Negan -------

Storming down the corridors from his room, Negan clenched his hand dangerously tight around the handle of Lucille. He thought being near her and being able to take from her was going to make him feel better, allow him to focus. If anything he now felt worse. In his head all he could see was her tortured expression as she asked him permission to cum, the feeling of her walls squeezing his fingers like a vice, even the smell of her goddamn sweat was making him feel like he was going crazy. He didn’t have ‘business’ to attend to, he knew that if he didn’t walk out of the room then and there, he wouldn’t have been able to control himself; usually this wasn’t something that bothered him, but the way he had seen her so vulnerable before, he knew the moment he finally saw her submit to him fully he would take her like he hadn’t taken anyone before.

For the first time since knowing about the Alpha and Omega genes becoming apparent, a deeply dug fear had simmered in his body, knowing that ultimately when he found his mate, nothing would be able to come between them. What scared him was the quickly forming attachment he felt towards someone he had barely known a week compared to the hollow relationships he had with the other Omega’s he kept around for himself. He knew when he had been with Sherry, Beth and even Tina that it was meaningless, a means to an end. They were afraid of him, they would always submit to him; but Kate was different. When he looked into her fiery eyes he saw the anger there that she didn’t try to hide, she fought him countless times and even attacked him twice so far. He wasn’t lying when he said that most people didn’t live through that kind of behaviour. His soul lived to watch her submit to him, a powerful and fearless Omega that only obeyed an Alpha… Her Alpha. He knew what needed to be done and yet he felt a sizzling hatred towards her for making him feel so weak to have to give in to this need building within him when he had implemented his rules so ruthlessly until now.

Negan paced the corridors down to the gates with all of these thoughts hurtling through his head, his anger increasing as he felt his control on himself slipping away, replaced by the urge to run back to his quarters and just take her. His Alpha and his own conscience screaming at each other for dominance when he lifted his bat and began to relentlessly crush anything in sight. On the outside of the fence, walkers were chained up to the perimetre as a deterrent for any strays; they gnawed at thin air as they tried to reach him desperately, blood spraying and flesh flying as he brought Lucille down on skulls, back, faces and legs. His breathing erratic as he steadily made his way through the rotting corpses, not paying any mind to whoever it was on guard duty. When he was finished, he leant forward with his hands on his thighs, Lucille still braced in his hand.  
“... Y’alright boss?” The gruff voice of Simon called out from behind him, causing Negan to turn on the spot with an unreadable expression on his face as he regarded his most trusted henchman. He nodded absently, the blood splatter across his face making him look unhinged when he started to laugh on the spot, shaking his head from side to side.  
“Am I alright, what a great question Simon.” He murmured as he came closer to him, Simon looking at him wearily and running a hand over his handlebar mustache.  
“I would say that I have no fucking idea what I am right now, Simon. I need a goddamn drink and to calm the fuck down before I go back upstairs to that little lady of mine and do something I regret.” He answered honestly as he began to move towards the building just to the right of his own, approaching the wives quarters and their communal area. Simon followed beside him, whistling for another worker to take over his duties, shouting for him to ‘clear the mess up and round some new rotters up’ as he walked away.  
“What can you do that you’d even regret?” Simon asked curiously as they walked towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as if he was in a hurry to get as far away from Kate as possible.  
“Well Simon, there is a long list bigger than my arm of things I could do to that sweet thing that could be regrettable… None more than breaking my own rules. So that has to be rectified right now.” He stated as they reached the corridor to the wives quarters, the smell instantly becoming synthetically sweet and making the Alpha inside of him pine for the smell of sun ripened peaches and honey. 

Striding to the end of the corridor, Negan pushed the door open to find all of his wives gathered at the couches looking somewhat shocked at his sudden entrance. He took in the sullen faces of Beth and Frankie, obviously still grieving for Sherry; he tried to hide his disdain when he saw the smirk plastered over Tina’s face when she saw him enter. The way she sized him up and looked at him maybe a week ago would have had him hard and ready to fuck her through a mattress, now it just looked plastic and forced when all he could think about was Kate’s face and voice when she thanked him over and over again for the pleasure he had given her.  
“Well good evening, dearest wives!” He announced as he made his way over to the bar and poured himself a healthy measure of bourbon and sank it down in one large gulp, pouring himself another before he set the bottle down and rested Lucille against the wall.   
“I have an announcement to make which I am sure you will be most pleased about and well if not, that sucks fucking dick for you.” He grinned and licked at his bottom teeth, taking in the way that Tina had suddenly stopped in her approach and regarded him warily, Frankie and Beth now standing to come closer and pay attention.  
“Since the departure of our dearest dearest friend Sherry….” He paused and offered a pointed look at Beth, daring her to say anything in response to even challenge what he had just said. Her green eyes found the carpet and swallowed past the lump in her throat, a reassuring hand to the shoulder from Frankie was the only comfort she was afforded.  
“We are now down a wife-” Before Negan could finish his sentence, Tina erupted in front of him.  
“You have got to be fucking kidding me-”  
“Shut your goddamn mouth Tina before I shut it for you.” Negan interrupted, his hand pointing a finger in her direction as he scowled at her. When she stood down immediately, all he could do was compare her to Kate and how if it was her, she probably would have attacked him by now. The thought alone made a smirk tug at his mouth.   
“I’m gonna be marrying Peach whether she agrees to it or not. They’re the rules for any Omega that hasn’t been bonded but… speaking of the rules. Things are gonna change around here and you’re just gonna have to put on your big girl pants….” When he said this part, he approached Tina this time and pointed his finger directly in her face.  
“And deal with it.” He watched her swallow any words that were dying to burst forward from her mouth before he moved back towards his drink, took a large gulp and continued.  
“I’ll be marrying her tomorrow but now here’s where the rules are changing… She won’t be staying here. She’s gonna be staying with me where I can keep an eye on her-”  
“What?!” Tina screeched this time, her face turning red with anger.  
“Negan this isn’t fair! You’ve barely been around since she showed up, you have her in your room before you even married her and now you're gonna and keep her in your room? What the hell about me?!” She stalked towards him, her red hair tossed over her shoulder as she braced a hand on her hip and stared at him pointedly. Instead of this annoying him, this time he found it funny, he began to laugh in her face before he downed the rest of his bourbon.  
“What about you, Tina? This cause you’re not my favourite anymore?” He asked, clearly amused that she believed she was his top priority; previously her jealousy would have got him fired up, now it just seemed pathetic.  
“You fucking asshole. I gave you everything-”  
“Oh I know you did Tee… and you’ll still have me when I’m in the mood. You’re just gonna have to get used to sharing me. Anyway!” He shouted the last word, meaning it to end the conversation as he headed back towards the door, only turning when Tina continued with her angry ranting.  
“If you don’t shut up that pretty mouth now, you’ll be taking your own little vacation down in the cells and you wouldn’t wanna miss the big day, would you?” He taunted her, watching as her jaw clicked.  
“Good choice! Now Beth, if you would be so kind, dig out that pretty little wedding dress for me would ya doll?” He asked without waiting for an answer, chucking back one final drink before he grabbed Lucille and headed back towards the door.  
“Simon, you make sure everything is arranged for tomorrow, get everyone gathered in the courtyard after breakfast, cancel any runs due to go out. Make sure all 3 of them are there, including Tina cause you’re gonna be the maid of honour aren’t you doll?” He baited her again, laughing when she refused this time to even meet his eyeline.  
“Tomorrow is gonna be a BIG day for Daddy, girls!” He shouted as he left them behind him, not registering the sheer rage bubbling beneath the surface of Tina’s face.


	15. Crimson Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate finds out Negan's plans and as you can imagine, chaos ensues. 
> 
> **DISCLAIMER - mentions of self-harm in this chapter**
> 
> Strap in for this one kids, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone that is interest, here is a visual of Kate's dress....  
>   
>   
> 

He had touched her and he had left her. He had brought her to the very edge of her existence, making her feel for the first time in days, only to smack her right back into her reality. Kate’s red rimmed and puffy eyes stared back at her in Negan’s bathroom mirror, her hair still wet from her shower and her towel wrapped tightly around her body. She had sat herself on the floor of the walk-in shower and cried until no sound came from her mouth and the shower spray washed away all the tears she had left. She burned with shame as she remembered his hands on her, her little wolf in the back of her psyche whining from the absence of the Alpha who she knows will make her feel good, but also from the reluctance Kate seemed to continue to fight him with. Life would be so easy if she just gave in. Nobody was coming. It was all a lie to keep her sane and to appease their guilt at letting her be taken.  
_Nobody is coming. You mean nothing. You are nothing. Just allow yourself to disappear. Become who you need to be to survive. Just survive. Pick your battle’s just like Momma taught you..._  
Kate stared at herself as these thoughts circulated like poison through her conscience before dragging a shaking hand through her damp golden brown locks. She breathed in heavily as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to hold on to anything that would ground her in that moment. Her guilt was swallowing her whole as her fingers desperately clung to the marble counter of the bathroom sink; images of Tara and her laughing in Maggie’s kitchen filtered between her knelt in front of Negan in the rain, covered in mud and her own blood. Then it was Sherry making her at ease at Sanctuary and hugging her with relief when she was let out of the cells, then it was the memory of her own hands wrapped around the handle of Lucille and the sound of crushed bone beneath her heavy blows. All of these images assaulted her simultaneously before she remembered the cell; she remembered the dim fluorescents above her head, the musty old air, the creak of the metal door hinges, the cold of the cement floor. All at once it became too much as she just tried to feel something other than guilt and despair; pulling her shoulder back her fist flew into the mirror in front of her, her own face shattering before her into hundreds of pieces and falling around the sink and to her feet. She felt her skin burn from the glass that made tiny cuts in her skin, the telltale warm trickle of blood trailing down her fingers and hitting the tiled floor. She hyperventilated as she stood there, only seeing bits of her reflection in the pieces of glass that clung to the wall and she screamed at the top of her lungs but didn’t hear a thing; only the ringing of her ears greeted her as she watched her face move like it was someone else looking and screaming back at her. 

She stepped back and felt the pinch of fresh cuts at the soles of her feet, slumping down against the bathtub as she finally gave in to endless sorrow that seemed to be always waiting for her when she was alone. Kate allowed her legs to stretch out in front of her as she leant back, her hands falling almost limp at her sides while silent tears dropped from her cheeks and landed on the towel wrapped around her. Her fingertips felt the jagged edge of glass beneath her and she picked it up to inspect it, turning it over in her hand she caught a glimpse of her own face, only to see the faces of those she had wronged staring back at her. She grasped the glass in her hand until it bit at her palm before she held it up to the inside of her other wrist, staring down at the skin as it puckered under the pressure of the pointed edge, waiting or herself to come to her senses.  
_They didn’t deserve the pain, but you do._  
The voice inside of her head told her as she pushed the tip through her skin, blood instantly coming to the surface and painting the glass crimson. Before she could do much more damage, a pair of combat boots stepped into view, her hearing finally returning when she heard the crack of glass under the heavy weight of Negan standing in front of her. Her eyes slowly drifted upwards as she took him in, reluctant to see his face and the sneer that was going to greet her for being so fucking weak; but where dark brown met hazel eyes, all she found was a surprising display of concern. He outstretched his hand towards her, and crooked his fingers by her own palm holding the shard of glass.  
“Give it to me, Peach.” He asked her softly, his eyes displaying a level of concern she never thought him possible of. When she made no move to pass it back to him and sat frozen on the spot, his made his tone more demanding, her Omega standing to attention and reluctantly recognising his authority.  
“Now.” He insisted.  
Her bottom lip wobbled as she pulled the shard out of her skin and passed it into his waiting hand and hung her head in shame. 

She flinched as she heard the sound of the glass clattering in the sink as it landed before she felt his hand tip her chin back up to look at him. Without her even having to explain to him what was wrong, he knew why he had found her this way, it was written all over her face. To him, she was as good as an open book.  
“The only person that gets to punish you is me, Angel. Stop fucking punishing yourself.” His voice was still soft as he spoke as if he was trying not to spook her. Kate swallowed past the lump that had built up in her throat; it burned from her crying and screaming but ached as if she hadn’t spoken in years.  
“...I can’t N-Negan.” She whispered in response.  
“Yes, you can and you have to. If you let it, it will eat you alive baby and then there will be nothing left and you may as well be one of them fucking walkin’ corpses outside.” Negan let his eyes flit down to her bloodied hands and sighed, the muscles in his jaw flexing with his annoyance. He wanted to chastise her, she could tell. But instead he seemed hellbent on showing a gentle side and exercised an amount of self-control that she never knew he had. Negan kicked away the shards of glass that littered the tiles around Kate before going into the cupboard under the sink and pulling out a small first aid kit. 

He sat himself next to her and went to work cleaning up her knuckles, cleaning the wounds with antiseptic wipes and using a pair of tweezers to pull out and stray splinters in her skin. Thankfully, none of the cuts were deep so at least this time she wouldn’t have to go to the infirmary. Next, he pulled the arm closest to him across his lap and inspected the small puncture at her wrist, biting his tongue as he glued together the tiny edges of the wound and wiping it clean. The Omega in her basked in his attentions and the way he took care of her, it begged for her to show gratitude for his affection and for once, she was too tired to fight. Still clad in her towel covering her naked body, Kate pulled the first aid kit from Negan’s lap, watching as he arched an eyebrow in question. She placed it on the other side of her legs as she scooted herself into his lap and as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do; she allowed her head to lay against his chest, the smell of his leather jacket soothing her raging soul almost immediately. Her legs curled up to her chest with her feet resting at the side of his legs, her hands falling uselessly on top of her thighs. Negan drew in a deep breath before he placed a kiss on her forehead and wrapped one hand under her legs, the other cradling her shoulder.  
“I ever catch you doing that shit again, you won’t be able to sit for a week and it won’t have a happy ending, you hear me princess?” He mumbled with his mouth still pressed to her skin, she nodded numbly in response as her body found the comfort it was searching for in his company, her breathing finally starting to even out. 

They sat on the floor like that for a while, Negan just talking to her about everything and nothing all at once, clearly trying to take her mind away from the dark place it had been. He kept talking until he felt her muscles start to relax beneath him, a smile pulling at his mouth when he made terrible jokes just to make her laugh.  
“Well I officially can’t feel my ass down here so we need to move the fuck off of this floor…” He declared. She felt his muscles bunch beneath her as he shifted her legs in his lap to either side of his waist, her face burning with embarrassment when she felt the material of his denim pants on her scantily clad body. He placed an arm beneath her rear as he shifted her upwards, a squeal of surprise leaving her mouth when he suddenly went from sitting to standing in one swift movement, her arms and legs automatically wrapping around his shoulders and waist while she hid her face in the crook of his neck, his scent washing over her and soothing her like a balm. The hand between her shoulder blades drew little circles on her bare skin, making a tingle run down her spine while he carried her to his bedroom. 

When she felt his arms begin to loosen around her, she allowed her legs to unwind from either side of his waist before her feet touched the ground. Negan stepped around her to go to his wardrobe, blindly pulling out another white shirt that would be huge on her smaller frame alongside a set of his underwear, placing them on the bed for her as he stepped over to his side of the bed and began to pull off his leather jacket. Kate turned around to watch him when she heard him kicking off his boots, catching him just as he pulled his shirt from his body. All she could do was stand and watch as his naked chest and arms came into view, her fingers twitching at her sides at the sight of his old tattoos on his forearms and the chest hair peppering across pecs. She hated herself for it, but all she wanted in that moment was to get lost in him, let him make her feel something other than guilt or anger; her Omega pleaded with her to go to him and submit. She was snapped out of her thoughts when his hands reached for his belt, unbuckling the metal clasp and popping the button open, her eyes watched as he pulled the zipper down slowly, clearing his throat to get her attention. When she finally met his eyes, Kate saw the humour there as he had clearly seen her appreciation.  
"Something that interests you here kitten?” He drawled.  
“No-”  
“Liar, can smell you from here...” He quipped, licking at his bottom teeth and showing that stupid cocky grin that she was sure on another planet would have made her mouth dry; his grin only widening when he saw her lips part in response, heat colouring her cheeks as she tried to busy herself with her own clothing. 

She tried to hold on to her towel as she reached for the clothes he had left out for her, struggling to keep herself decent when she heard him laughing again. She sighed heavily and looked across at him, now he was only wearing his boxers.  
“C’mon Peach, think we’re past being shy now ain't we? Daddy’s had his fingers buried in that pretty little pussy but you won’t play show and tell? Thought you were braver than that… Must have been wrong.” He taunted her, trying to get a rise and bring back the version of her that most appealed to him. Still, she held tightly onto the towel that wrapped around her naked frame, scowling at him now as he tried to tap on her last nerve.  
“What’s wrong baby? Have I gotta come and take it off of you? Or you gonna put your big girl pants on all alon-” Before he could finish his sentence, Kate released the grip on the fabric that had covered her completely and let it pool around her feet.  
“No thank you, Daddy…” She practically spat the final word out before she continued.  
“I think I can cope all on my own.” She stood with her chin held high, a sudden confidence that she had been missing came back to her at his challenge and it seemed to even please him. He had a tendency to pull this behaviour out of her, something about the way he pushed her buttons made her need to act out.  
“Oh you can, can you now?” He murmured as his eyes roved over her body and took in every curve and dip with appreciation, making a note about how her muscles visibly strained to not try and cover herself up in front of him; she was trying to make a point. Kate stared back at him, her Omega nipping at her insides as his scent wafted towards her, the sandalwood getting stronger as his body reacted to her naked in front of him. Pride swelled in her chest when she saw the evidence of his approval, the notable bulge in his underwear straining against the fabric for freedom. 

In a moment of clarity, she realised this seemed to be the only time when she didn’t feel angry, lost, or full of sorrow. He had broken her down, but slowly she found she needed him more and more to put her back together. She hated herself for it, but she found herself accepting her new reality. It was the only way she was going to survive. Having this revelation, Kate wanted to hang on to this feeling before her grief caught back up with her and ripped her to shreds; for now, she would allow herself to get lost in him, if only for self preservation. Stepping forward, she grabbed the boxers he had laid out for her and turned away from him before she bent forward at the waist to reach towards her toes, completely presenting her sex to him as she cast a glance over her shoulder. Kate watched him take her in, his nostrils flaring as the smell of peaches hit him, a growl rumbling through his chest when he caught her looking at him.  
“I’m a brave girl, see?” She quipped as she began to pull the material up her petite legs, a squeal leaving her mouth as he stalked to her side of the bed and grabbed her face roughly between his thumb and forefinger, pulling her jaw upwards to meet his eyeline.  
“Take.Them.Off.Now.” He demanded between clenched teeth, watching with interest as Kate squared her shoulders, pushed her body flush to his and lifted her chin higher.  
“Make me.” She breathed out, her heart hammering in her chest when a smirk plastered across his face.  
“There she fucking is.” He replied, pressing his mouth just over hers as he spoke before he forced her backwards with the hand that was holding her jaw, the backs of her thighs meeting the mattress when he forced her down and crawled over the top of her. Kate kicked her legs underneath him as she tried to wriggle away, her hands hitting him in the chest as his thighs bracketed either side of her hips and caught her hands in one of his before pinning it above her head. He smiled down at her, watching her chest heave while she continued to struggle, grinning even more as it made her bare breasts bounce in front of him. Kate watched as he dipped his head to her chest and took one rosey bud between his lips and sucked hard, her hips bucking underneath him and a sound of frustration rumbled in the back of her throat.  
“You gotta play fuckin’ nice now here Angel…” His hot breath tickled the peak of her breast, his stubbled jaw prickling the skin around it as she writhed beneath him. He lavished her breast with attention, alternating between sucking it into his mouth, pulling with his teeth and soothing it with his tongue. Just as her head began to swim, he moved across to the other breast and paid it the same attention until heat pooled between her legs and a needy noise whined from the back of her throat.  
“All you gotta do it ask.” He spoke against her tender flesh as he used his free hand to trail down her side and snake underneath her, squeezing her behind firmly and making her gasp when his fingertips dug into her flesh, the still fresh handprint on her skin tingling in recognition. Kate tried to move her hips upwards, but his thighs on either of her made it impossible to do anything but just lay there.  
“Negan…”  
“Yes Kitten?” He answered her innocently even as his hand moved over the front of the material separating them from each other, his fingers ghosting up and down her entrance, a smirk spreading across his face when he felt the wet material that was now clinging to her sex. Kate's face turned crimson as she felt it too, but still her body craved his touch and approval as she tried to push herself against his hand shamelessly.  
“Please-”  
“Please what?” He demanded an answer from her, her verbal consent a clear sign that he was winning the chase. His mouth was lowered just over hers as she replied in a breathy whisper.  
“P-please touch me.” The moment the request left her mouth his lips devoured hers in a kiss that was dominant and possessive; his teeth pulled at her bottom lip while his hand pushed underneath the band of underwear she was wearing and cupped her, cursing out loud when all he could feel was her arousal coating her thighs and her slit. Negan released her hands as his own found the hem of his boxers and peeled them down the length of her legs, crawling back off of her and looking down at her with hooded eyes. Grabbing her ankles, he yanked her to the edge of the mattress and sank to his knees before biting his way up the inside of her thigh, leaving a trail of teeth marks in her tender flesh. He stopped just at the apex of her thighs, his mouth hovering over her sensitive skin; she felt every breath he exhaled and squirmed beneath him, sitting herself up on her elbows she looked down at him. Her breath caught in her throat as their eyes met.  
“Fuckin’ perfect.” He growled before his mouth latched onto her clit and circled his tongue over and over, Kate’s hand flew to the sheets at the overload in sensation, her hips trying to move away from him but towards him at the same time. Taking control, Negan dragged her further towards him and hooked each leg over his shoulders as he devoured her. He lapped at her slit like a man deprived of water, bringing her to the edge only to pull away completely the next moment and nibble at the crease between her sex and her thigh. A layer of sweat began to coat Kate’s skin as he did this over and over again until she was at the point of madness, tension continually building until she was on the brink only for him to retreat.  
“Negan, p-please I nee-” Her pleading was cut off but a sharp slap to the side of her thigh as he continued to suck and lick at her, without him saying, she knew what he wanted.  
“D-daddy please!” She corrected herself as she panted beneath him, feeling the smile that spread across his mouth at her response. Finally he lifted his mouth from her centre and looked up at her.  
“Whadd’ya need Angel?” He asked, his term of endearment and the glisten of her arousal all over his stubbled jaw making her blush; the Omega in her screamed to be listened to, she didn’t want to just be pleased, she wanted to be taken. She needed to be taken.  
“I n-need you. Please. I need y-you.” Her voice came as a whine, watching as Negan’s pupils blew out wide, hazel orbs being absorbed into the black, a growl vibrating from his chest as he pulled away from her body and flipped her over onto her stomach and pushed her back up the bed. She felt his hands grip the backs of her thighs as he forced them apart, the mattress dipping beneath her where his knees pushed them beside her and he positioned himself behind her. The silence hung heavy in the room before it was permeated by a loud slap to her behind, eliciting a groan from Kate as he wound a hand into the back of her hair and pulled her upright until her back was resting against his chest, her legs spread to accommodate his between hers, his cock pressing hotly into the small of her back.  
“Such a fucking good girl aren’t you when you’re not playin....” He whispered hotly against the side of her neck, his free hand roaming from each of her breasts before winding up to the front of her throat and squeezing. Kate nodded quickly as his grip on her hair loosened and trailed behind her, gripping his length and rubbing up up and down her slit, groaning when he felt how wet she was and the way her back arched at the sensation, her body begging him for what she needed. He pushed the tip against her entrance and inched in slowly, cursing out loud when her walls gripped him tightly and her hands held the back of his neck for support, her chest heaving as her body tried to accommodate him after so long of being alone.  
“Jesus fucking christ, Angel I can barely move you’re so fuckin’ tight.” He groaned again as he slowly entered her, Kate gasping at the full sensation when he finally bottomed out, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to pull air into her lungs, his words of encouragement making her Omega preen. Before she had enough time to adjust he began to pull back out slowly before he sank back to the hilt, a loud groan falling from her mouth as he did this again and again. A heavy tension began to build behind her belly button the faster he went, her nails began to dig into any skin she could find and marking his skin, that thought alone made her moans get louder.  
“I’m gonna-”  
“Don’t you fuckin dare!” He bit at her shoulder to punctuate his demand, grunting when he felt her walls constrict tighter around him in response.  
“Please p-please please” She chanted over and over as her hips moved to meet his thrusts, desperate to find her own release. Unhappy with her answer, the hand that was holding her throat trailed down between her legs and began to circle at her clit relentlessly, Kate cursed out loud as she gritted her teeth, desperately holding back.  
“Please Daddy!” She begged this time as his hand slipped up and down her entrance and around her clit.  
“You better fucking scream so everyone in this goddamn place hears you and knows that you’re mine.” He snarled, his fingers picking up the pace as he granted her permission. The pleasure gripped her without warning, her entire body tensing before she felt the pressure between her legs explode outwards and through the rest of her body, every nerve ending in her body singing with release as he continued to pound into her. When she tried to move his hands away with her own to make him stop, he smacked them away and pushed her down and into the mattress, bending her at the waist and placing a hand between her shoulders. The new angle made a strangled moan escape her mouth as he seemed to stretch her further around him, his hand between her legs never ceasing its ministrations even when she arched away from him, tears stinging at her eyes from the over-stimulation. Kate felt his knees push her legs further apart and this time she cursed out loud at how much it exposed her sex to him, the pressure between her legs again building impossibly quick.  
“You better fucking cum again right now Angel-” His words were all it took to bring her over the edge again, Kate’s knuckles turned white from her grip on the bedsheets as her body gave in and her arousal gushed from between her legs and soaking the pair of them, the rest of her body shook and curses tumbled from her lips. Negan’s pace quickened, his hips snapping to meet hers as he chased his own release, his hands gripped either side of her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh was sure to leave bruises. He snapped his hips into her one final time as he spilled into her, the sensation of him coating her from the inside finally pleasing the Omega within her into silent content. 

He stayed inside of her as he allowed himself to drop forwards onto her back, both of them gasping for breath as they came down from their high. Negan let his arm slip around Kate’s waist as he pulled out, repositioning them on the bed so their heads were actually towards the pillows. The Alpha within him revelled with how she seemed to crave his comfort and not instantly withdraw like he had anticipated her to do. They both laid there naked, her body curled in towards his, the sound of their breathing the only noise in the air; the pair of them drifting to sleep as their combined scents made both of their minds quiet from their usual riot.

\---------- Negan ---------

Hours later, Negan found himself slowly waking in his bed after drifting peacefully to sleep for the first time in months; usually he had to drink himself into a stupor or physically exhaust himself before unconsciousness gripped him. Granted, he had had a few bourbons and he had fucked Kate, but usually it would have taken a few rounds to put him to sleep and quench the anger and frustration that seemed to constantly churn in his gut. His nose inhaled the sweet smell on honey and his eyes flew open, realising that Kate still laid next to him. She hadn’t tried to leave, she hadn’t tried to hide and she had fallen asleep with him. When he tried to look down at her, her hair tickled the underside of his chin from where she had nestled herself into his chest, a leg draped over his stomach meant that their bare skin had kept each other warm. An unwelcome image charged its way into his mind’s eye, accompanied by a warmth pushing its way through his chest as images of Kate lazing around in his clothes and smiling up at him as they fooled around in his quarters, her willingly going to him and seeking comfort from him rather than himself constantly having to play games to get her to comply. The longing in his chest turned painful as his Alpha stood proudly in his mind’s eye and grumbled at him, an unfamiliar voice within himself speaking for the first time to make itself known.  
_Make her yours completely and she’ll only ever do that for you, you know this to be true. Make her yours. Make her yours. Make her yours!_ It insisted over and over again until he realised that his hand had wound its way into her hair and had exposed the back of her neck, her scent wafting over him and making his mouth water. He knew he could do it now and she would never be able to fight him, probably even thank him for it when her next heat came around…  
_No. She’ll come to me._ His own voice insisted to his Alpha, knowing that when Kate’s heat next came around, which judging by her scent he knew would be soon, she would beg him to soothe her the only way her body knew how. All the other Omega’s were the same when their heat came, they just needed an Alpha to claim them, take care of them and that was usually the time that he was the cruelest to them. He would take what he wanted from them, enough just to keep the pain at bay for them and leave; his Alpha had never pushed for anything more until Kate and he hated her for it. She was making him weak, but the longer he denied himself of this basic instinct, he knew it would ultimately make him weaker as all he could think about day in and day out was her, her body, her scent and that little patch of skin at the base of her neck that begged his teeth to sink into. It was going to happen, it was just a matter of time.

\------- Kate ---------

Morning broke through the windows of Negan’s quarters a few hours later, Kate completely oblivious to the inner turmoil her bedmate had experienced in the dead of the night. Again, she found herself alone in his bed, stretched out on her belly and her face buried into his pillow. When she realised she had been holding it to her nose in her sleep, her cheeks coloured in embarrassment as she mentally chastised her needy Omega, forcing herself to roll over on to her back and raise herself up onto her elbows. When she looked down the end of the bed, she saw a white lace dress hanging from the picture rail that surrounded Negan’s bedroom. The sleeves were full length and seemed to have a floral pattern, the length of the dress just swooped to the floor at the back, a small train making it longer at the back than the front. It looked a little bohemian and off white, a little note was pinned to the front of it and Kate stood from the bed to investigate. Wincing as she stood, she felt a soreness radiate from between her legs; a reminder of the night before that made her worry her bottom lip between her teeth. Reaching out with shaking hands, her fingertips danced over the fabric that was surprisingly soft before she pulled the note from the front of the garment, her eyebrows pulling together as she read it to herself.  
_Do your hair and put this on. N x_  
Her fingertips ran across the indentations of the pen as she looked over the garment again, realisation making all colour drain from her face.  
_This is a fucking wedding dress! He has left you a wedding dress with no other explanation. He had his way with you last night, you gave in, let him fuck you and now he’s going to marry you with or without your consent. You are royally and utterly fucked my friend. You’re going to become another one of his stupid fucking wives where you will sit on a shelf as a trophy and gather dust instead of living unless he decides he wants to play with you. You. Fucking. Idiot._

Her thoughts were hurtling so fast through her head that she only noticed his presence when his scent washed over her, her body singing in recognition and her Omega standing to attention when her eyes found him observing her from the open doorway, not hiding the way his eyes roved over her body.  
“....Why’s that dress still hanging up Peach?” He asked her in a voice that portrayed an amount of calm that made her uneasy, shifting on the spot as she registered that she was fully naked still from the night before; the residue of their coupling she realised coated the inside of her thighs and she turned bright red with embarrassment and shame, shame that deep down it excited her to smell even remotely like him.  
“I’m not putting this on-”  
“Yes you fucking are.” He replied with an edge of finality that told her she shouldn’t argue, her Omega nipping at her to concede but her defiance telling her to fight.  
“No I’m not Negan! I already told you I’m not marrying you, I’m not yours I’m not your wife and I don’t wanna be-” Her voice increased in volume as she ranted, her argument cut off when he closed the gap between them in two long strides of his legs and he slammed her back into the wall next to the offending dress.  
“I’m gonna tell you something and you’re gonna fucking listen because I will not repeat myself Doll.” He spat the final word out, making Kate’s back stiffen at the use of that nickname, it never led to anything good when he took this tone and the recognition in her eyes told him she knew she was treading on thin ice.  
“You are gonna put this dress on and march that sweet little peach of yours down to that goddamn courtyard in the next 30 minutes and if you don’t….” He licked his lips and smirked before he continued, watching the way she clenched her teeth together and tried to ignore the effects of having him pressed up against her had on her body.  
“Well if you don’t, I’m gonna personally drive you back to that beautiful little town I found you at, and I will make you kill each and every one of your friends one at a time and when you’re too tired to swing Lucille yourself, Daddy will hold your hands and make sure you keep going until there is nothing left and nobody to run to…” He smiled again when he watched her bottom lip wobble and tears gather behind her eyes, tears she refused to let fall in front of him.  
“I hate you.” She hissed between her teeth as she tried to keep the tremor from her voice.  
“No Angel you don’t hate me, you hate yourself cause you know deep deep down…” He pushed his pelvis against hers, her mouth opening to inhale when she felt him erect against her again.  
“I’m the only person that can give you what you want.” He stated and just as he felt her body giving in to him, he pulled away and walked towards the door, looking across at her before he left.  
“Don’t fucking shower either. I want everyone to know what happened last night, not that they didn’t hear you anyway.” He smirked at her then as embarrassment and shame made her stomach roll with repulsion. 

Kate kept herself standing until he left the room before she allowed herself to slump fully against the wall and sink down to the floor; she stared into space as the reality of her situation settled over her. A future of misery and emptiness was all she could see with an Alpha that would never be hers, even though he was not the one she wanted it made it sting even more knowing he would forever dangle something in front of her that he was never willing to give. Her mind then flitted to the one she did want and pain pierced through her chest at the weight of her betrayal; she knew she wasn’t Daryl’s yet, but if she had stayed in Alexandria she knew within her bones that that would be different. The thought of never seeing him again almost hurt as much as the fact she knew he would hate her for what she had done being with Negan. She felt dirty, used and utterly worthless. She sat like this for a while, her fingernails digging into the flesh of her palms while her eyes refused to cry, a numbness mercifully washing over her as she began to accept her new fate.  
_You need to protect the ones you love, this is the only way you are going to survive and that’s ok. Let them hate you if it keeps them alive. Just be who you need to be to keep living, even if you don’t really feel alive._ She thought to herself as she drew in a shaky breath and forced it back out of her nose to calm her racing mind. Forcing herself to stand on shaking legs, Kate took the dress from the hanger and pulled it up her body; a few months ago a style like this would have never fitted with the way it pinched inwards at the waist, but since she had lost at least 10-14lbs in the last few weeks, the material was even a little loose at her hips. She pushed her arms through the full sleeves and strained her hand behind her back, pulling the zip up her behind until she was sure it was fastened, noting that it stopped just over the small of her back, leaving most of her shoulders and spine exposed. Walking listlessly to the bathroom, she found that the mirror from the day before had already been replaced, all evidence of her breakdown erased like it had never happened. The front of the dress touched the tops of her collar bones and covered the curve of her shoulders before it swept backwards in a V-shape, meeting in the middle where the zip rested. If she hadn’t felt so numb in that moment, she may have even appreciated the way the dress somehow complimented her, but she was too fixated on hating the face that looked back at her.

Searching underneath the sink she finally found a hairbrush and began to tame her hair, soft waves framed her face from where it had air dried and turned curly in her sleep. She smoothed it down and tossed her hair over her back, taking her hair tie that was still around her wrist like always and pulling some of the front sections of her hair backwards and twisting them into a knot, leaving her hair half up and half down. Satisfied that she at least no longer looked homeless, she walked back out of the bathroom to find a small pair of white ballet pumps waiting for her at the bottom of Negan’s bed that hadn’t been there before; she slipped them on to her feet and frowned when she realised this was the first time she hadn’t worn her converse for almost a year. Finally, she stepped through the bedroom doorway and instead of finding Negan there, Dwight was waiting for her in the living room, an unreadable look on his face when he saw her come in. His eyes rested on her face as he offered her a sympathetic smile.  
“Really thought they would have come before this happened.” He confessed when he was sure that there was nobody else around. Kate stilled on the spot as she processed his words, not wanting to risk anything, she played dumb.  
“W-what are you talking about? Who?” Kate whispered, her voice trying not to crack as she forced her emotions into a box at the back of her mind, if she broke now she wouldn’t be able to go through with it. If she broke now, all of those in Alexandria were as good as dead.  
“You know what I’m talking about, Kate.” His eyes pleaded with her, he didn’t want to say it out loud and acknowledge his betrayal to the Saviours and Negan.  
“Nobody is comin’ for me Dwight. S’easier this way.” Kate nodded and looked down at her hands, her bottom lip wobbling as she tried to hold the dam together before it burst. She let her fingernails dig into her palms until they pierced her skin, the pain grounding her and stopping her from tipping over the edge.  
“Jus…. Just tell them it’s s’okay. I’ll be ok. Please tell them not to come… Tell **him** not to.” Kate looked back up at Dwight as he shook his head at her response, clearly she had finally had enough, though he was hardly surprised after what Negan had put her through in the short amount of time he had known her.  
“You know he won’t believe that. You know Daryl will come for you-”  
“Well make him believe Dwight cause otherwise, I’m the one who’s gonna have to kill him and I’m tellin’ you now, I’d rather kill myself so make him fucking believe you, you got it? You got it?!” She shouted now as she advanced towards him and pointed a threatening hand in his direction, her pain threatening to spill over as her hands began to shake and unshed tears burned behind her eyes. Dwight nodded solumley then, understanding crossing his face. Of course he understood, he had had his fair share of swallowing down his own pride in order to survive, it was the only reason he was still at Sanctuary after Sherry was no longer there for him to protect. The moment Negan had forced the bat into Kate’s unwilling hands, Dwight knew he couldn’t watch the same miserable fate take another person from this already shit world. Negan had no idea, but one of his right hand men had switched allegiances right under his nose. The note being passed to Kate just before she lost it down in those cells wasn’t his first act of mutiny and he was certain it was not to be his last.  
“We gotta go, Kate.” He stated calmly and watched as a mask made of numbness and unspoken pain slipped into place over her features, a coping mechanism he had seen twice before today with Beth and Sherry. He idly prayed as they walked down to the courtyard in silence that this time, fate would give the Omega’s in this world a goddamn break from the tyranny of Negan’s will.

The walk to the courtyard seemed long and never ending, yet when her feet hit the dusty floor of the outside area and the heat of the morning kissed at her face, her heart began to speed as her instincts to run fought with her need to stay and protect the ones she loved. In front of her stood what she guessed to be the entire community, a bigger audience than the staged execution she had been an unwilling participant of the week before. As ever, on the stage waited Negan and his wives all wearing their trademark black dresses. She didn’t know why, but the fact that Negan wore his ordinary clothes startled her, even on his mock wedding day he wore his standard black/grey washed out slim fitting jeans, plain white shirt and leather jacket although thankfully, Lucille was nowhere to be seen.  
“Here she is….” Negan announced proudly from the other side of the room, making every head turn to look at her, some shocked gasps coming from the crowd as they took in the fact that she was actually wearing a wedding dress; Kate looked at Dwight for an explanation.  
“Only Tina was ever permitted to wear a wedding dress… She was the only one that went willingly so she was his favourite.” He murmured down to her before they began the walk to the platform, a walk more like being led to the gallows. Kate mulled over his words, unsure of how to feel or what any of it meant but what she did know was that if looks could kill, Tina would be ripping her throat out any second now. 

Finally standing to Negan’s side with his wives just behind her, Kate looked across at him blankly as he took her in, she wouldn’t allow him to take any pleasure from her compliance but for now and for the sake of others, she just had to do what he wanted.  
“You've been brought together today to witness me marrying this fine woman here….” Kate tried not to outwardly cringe or roll her eyes at his words when he began to ramble about being an effective leader of the Saviours and how to keep everyone in line and therefore safe, he needed to have control over all the Omega’s to keep in place the status quo. She tried not to bark out a laugh when he insisted that this was in everyone’s best interest at heart, her eyes catching Beth’s from just behind her, she offered her a shy half smile, her eyes full of regret and emotion. She hadn’t seen Beth since she was forced to kill Sherry and all she wanted to do was hug her and be held in return with no expectations, apologise until her voice was hoarse and promise to break her out of this prison. 

Kate’s attention was brought back to Negan when she realised he had stopped talking, she looked at him and saw him staring at her expectantly.  
“Ah my little Peach is too lost for words she’s so happy huh?” He asked her in front of everyone, smiling when she just nodded in agreement although she could tell he wasn’t happy at her lack of enthusiasm, something about the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes.  
“Well let’s get this goddamn show on the road because I am EAGER to consummate this marriage...” He commented lewdly, making her face turn red, as if all the Omegas, Betas and other Alpha’s around her couldn’t smell him on her already.  
“Tina, as the maid of honour would you so kindly pass Kate her ring?” Negan asked, the tension in the air was thick as Tina stepped forward and Kate turned to face her; she looked her up and down with obvious disdain before plastering a fake smile on her face. She stepped close to Kate and surprised her, pulling her in with one arm for a hug as she hissed down her ear.  
“You’re gonna regret ever coming here you stupid little bitch, too bad Negan is gonna miss you so much when you’re gone…But I’ll be there to comfort him, don’t worry.” When Kate pulled back to look at Tina in confusion, she heard Beth scream and lurch herself forward only seconds before she looked back at Tina, seeing the look of blood lust in her eyes as the pointed edge of a blade sank into her abdomen. Kate stood in shock for moments as sensation returned to her, her hands flew to her abdomen as she felt hot blood coat her fingers and run down her hands. Chaos erupted around her that she watched through vacant eyes. She watched as if she was just a spectator as Tina turned to Beth who had run at her, sinking the same blade into her body a few times before she dropped to the floor. In her peripherals she saw people moving, someone grabbing Tina, another running to help restrain her, all the while Kate sank to her knees and tried to crawl towards Beth who was laying on the floor, clutching at her wounds and gasping for breath. Kate’s knees gave out as her hand reached Beth’s, pouring all of her energy into squeezing her hand as she rolled on to her own back and stared up at a cloudless sky as a deep red stained the front of her wedding dress, the white lace soaking up the blood that rushed from her body. Distantly she heard the sound of Negan’s voice bellowing for the cars to get ready to head out somewhere; her head rolled to the side and she found Beth looking back at her as they held each other’s hands, a single tear rolling down her face.  
“M’sorry B-beth. Shouldda picked my battles like Momma taught me…” She croaked as she tried to hold on to her hand, only for her fingers to slip away from hers as she felt a pair of arms scoop underneath her legs and another brace against her back; she cried as she was pulled away from her friend, Beth still reaching for her hand. The arm that was around her shoulders shifted her to rest her head against a solid chest, leather resting under her cheek before her head lolled backwards. Before her vision was consumed by black, she looked up to see Negan’s face staring down at her, he was speaking to her but she couldn’t discern the words coming out, panic distorted his features as he tried to keep her awake, placing a kiss against her forehead as her body jostled from him moving fast beneath her.  
“Thank you Daddy.” She whispered before she was pulled into oblivion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...... Sorry not sorry !!!


	16. Little Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it has been so long since my last update; honestly I fell down the rabbit hole of another Alpha/Omega fanfic and felt like my writing by comparison was diabolical....
> 
> Now I've gotten over myself however I feel I owe it to you guys to finish this saga!
> 
> I hope it was somewhat worth the wait, comments are alwaaaaaays appreciated as they usually light up my day <3

\----- Negan -----

Everything had moved in slow motion in front of his deep hazel eyes; one moment he was on the platform in front of all his people and getting ready to exchange rings, the next he saw Beth lunge forward towards Kate and Tina and everything changed. When Negan looked between Kate and Tina he saw the jagged edge of a blade being pulled away from Kate’s abdomen, painted in crimson and droplets falling to the floor. There was a moment where time stopped completely as he tried to take in Kate’s confusion when she looked to Beth for clarity, only realising what had happened when she felt the hot blood pool to the surface of her skin and soak her white lace around the wound. Before he could even go to Kate, his attention was pulled back to Tina who had turned to be tackled by Beth; this time the blade sank into her a few times before a mass of limbs in the form of Dwight and Simon pulled Tina away as she screamed in a blind rage, the knife clattering to the ground in the middle of it all. Finally snapping out of it, Negan looked toward Kate who was now stretched out on the floor facing towards the sky with one hand out-reached to Beth. All colour drained from his face when he saw the amount of blood that had now begun to pool around Kate, her once off-white wedding dress now mostly dark red. He gathered her body up in his arms hastily, his fear increasing at how limp she was already.  
“Get the fucking cars ready now!” He screamed out to anyone near him who was listening, some of his other men had now appeared on the platform and had taken Tina away as she screamed in the background for Negan to come to her and that Kate had deserved it. He ignored Tina as his eyes rested on Kate’s face, his feet began to move of their own volition towards the garages as his every move made her body jostle in his arms.  
“Stay awake Princess don’t you fucking go anywhere.” He demanded of her as she looked up at his face, her eyes blinking away at something he couldn’t see.  
“Kate, Kate! Fucking stay awake!” He demanded again using her real name probably for only the second time since he knew of her existence and he swears to god, she actually smiled up at him as if to say ‘make me’. He had been so cruel to her this morning when she had initially refused him; panic made him lash out as it always had. He thought back on what he had said to her and inside he fucking hated himself. He had just started to win her over, but his impatience as always got the better of him. 

His eyes flitted between her face and the cars lined up in the garage as he saw her slipping in and out of consciousness, his inner Alpha whining when he smelt their combined scents together that still clung to her skin despite the overwhelming metallic taint that now drenched her dress. He leaned down and pressed a desperate kiss to her forehead, his chest clenching painfully when a weak ‘Thank you, Daddy’ came from her lips before her body went limp and her eyes closed. Fear propelled him forward faster as he came to the side of his truck, ripping the door open on the passenger side he slid her onto the bench. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned around to see Dwight following behind him carrying Beth and Simon hot on his heels.  
“Trust Tina to fucking snap when Carson is back at Hilltop.” Simon muttered under his breath as he approached the trucks, making the decision to go to the drivers side while Negan looked at him in question.  
“Y’need to keep pressure on that wound or she’ll bleed out.” He explained as he hopped in, avoiding Kate’s head and hair as he turned the key in the ignition, the engine sputtering to life immediately.  
“Radio ahead to Carson, tell em’ we’re comin.” Negan ordered before he picked Kate back up and climbed into the bed at the back of the truck, once he had positioned her, he helped Dwight pull in Beth and even though she had more wounds, she surprisingly didn’t seem that much worse off than Kate which wasn’t really saying much. Negan banged on the side of the truck signalling that they were ready to go; himself and Dwight kneeled over the girls, pressure applied to wounds as they precariously balanced in the back of the truck.

In reality, it was a godsend that neither of them were fully conscious; the bumpy roads leading to the neighbouring compound were not forgiving, even Negan winced when he felt his full body weight shifting back and forward on top of her petite body. His eyes took in her hair that laid like a halo around her head, her usually sunkissed skin looked pale as the colour began to drain from her. The only comfort he seemed to find was that she still smelt like her… like them; he had to hold himself back from burying his face into the side of her neck and drowning himself in her scent as a means of reassurance. After a while, he tore his gaze away from Kate and looked over to Dwight who was applying pressure to a few different places around Beth’s stomach.  
“She alright?” Negan asked gruffly over the roar of the engine. Dwight cast him a grim look as he held her wrist for her pulse and shook his head gently.  
“S’not gonna make it Negan, pulse is weak. Must have punctured something.” He guessed as both men looked up and the vehicle began to slow and pull up to the gates leading to Hilltop; guards with sharpened wooden spears watched on from the distance as the barrier was pulled open and they circled into the compound.

The moment the wheels came to a stop, the truck was greeted by a swarm of mostly familiar faces. Negan gathered Kate up as gently as he could in his arms before he jumped down off of the bed of the truck, he almost snarled when a sea of hands reached forward towards Kate’s lifeless looking body and when he looked up, he was met with the concerned looks of Dr Carson and Jesus, one of the well known members of Hilltop. Clearly they had received the message that they were coming as it seemed to be all hands on deck in anticipation of their arrival.  
“We’re gonna need to take her and get a proper look Negan. We need to take her to the infirmary now!” Carson barked at him in a tone that in any other situation, he would have snarled in response, but the weight of Kate’s form in his hands was a stark reminder that now was not a time to assert his authority in a pissing contest. With a great reluctance, he allowed Carson and one of his nurses pry her from his arms, his throat bobbing at the feeling of helplessness that he had not felt since before the apocalypse consumed everything he knew. Not even the commotion around him could distract him as he followed behind Carson, almost forgetting that Beth even existed. In the background, Dwight was trading whispers with Jesus as they arranged to care for Beth; whether or not she would survive to see Negan and Kate again remained to be seen.

Hours had passed as Negan paced back and forth outside the infirmary having being barred by Carson; after being told that his looming presence was making his nurses nervous and making it hard to treat Kate, he forced himself to leave the room despite the wolf inside of him growling to be on the other side of the door. Never since he knew that his Alpha existed had he felt so crushed by it’s intent. Every moment away from her made his body physically hurt. His muscles screamed to hurtle himself through the walls just to be near her. The inside of his skull itched when he thought of other people laying their hands on her and he was close to incoherent at the thought that she wouldn’t come out of this alive. It wasn’t until a distant gunshot pierced the air that Negan was shaken out of his stupor and moments later, Dwight rounded the corner to find him. Only then did he remember that there had been more than one casualty in the altercation. He stopped pacing when Dwight came to a halt in front of him, Negan looked at him for answers but was met with a bleak shake of the head, the gunshot now seemed self-explanatory.  
“Fucks goin’ on Dwight?” He questioned as finally, he stopped pacing; anything right now was a welcome distraction.  
“After you left to stay with Kate I took Beth with Jesus and some other nurse but she was too far gone. Somethin’ bout hitting an artery and the bumpy road here.” Dwight shook his head from side to side as he seemed to struggle with the rest of the story.  
“She turned a couple minutes ago, nurse panicked and put her down. Wasn’t pretty. Gonna take her round to the graveyard and bury her with Hilltop’s own. Aint right to burn her.” Dwight winced in memory just as Jesus rounded the corner carrying Beth in his arms, a sheet covering her body that showed a distinct red mark over where her face was like a target, indicating where she had been shot.  
“Goddamn in the fucking face?” He exclaimed, his eyebrows pulling together and looking down his nose at the small body that was barely covered. He approached Jesus slowly, an un-gloved hand reaching towards her and pulling back the sheet just enough to see her blonde hair, covered with blood. He pulled the sheet down a little further and wrinkled his nose when he was met with the sight of blown apart flesh, exposed bone and muscle. Before Negan had much time to dwell any further, Dr Carson came out of the infirmary and so he only offered a nod to Dwight and Jesus in response to their suggestion of Beth’s burial. 

Negan’s jaw clenched when he saw the amount of blood staining the doctor’s jacket and he searched his face expectantly.  
“We’ve managed to control the bleeding and thankfully she doesnt appear to have hit any organs-”  
Before he could explain any further Negan interrupted.  
“Doesn’t appear to? The fuck does that mean? She either did or she didn’t hit somethin!” Negan’s temper frayed from the forced separation between him and Kate. Carson held his hands up in defeat.  
“Poor choice of words. We did an ultrasound around the wounds and everything is clear, the wound was mostly artificial and hasn’t hit anything major. The only thing is we need blood. It appears that Kate is B negative and we don’t have any of that here and we don’t have any O negative-”  
“Get to the fucking point doc I don’t know what any of that means.” Negan snapped at him.  
“You’re O negative last time I checked. We need your blood.” Carson finished as he led Negan towards the infirmary doors and into the sterile environment inside, the unusual smell of bleach rather than rotting corpses burning the inside of his nostrils.  
“Why didn’t you just say so doc.” Negan grumbled as he followed closely behind but then stopping in his tracks at the side of Kate’s bed; she looked so small and fragile where she lay. Gone was the wedding dress that was now soaked with her blood, instead she was covered modestly with a sheet that was tucked under her armpits, her arms laying out either side of her body. She still looked pale from the blood loss, but the rise and fall of her chest allowed Negan to release some of the tension his body carried from the moment she had been stabbed. Carson meanwhile pulled a chair next to Kate’s bed followed by a small trolley with various needles and tubes, one of which was secured to the end of an empty blood bag. Negan peeled his leather jacket off of his body revealing his bare tattooed forearms before he placed himself in the chair next to Kate.  
“Take whatever she needs.” He stated flatly as he watched Carson pull his forearm towards himself, pushing the hollow needle under his skin and pinching it inwards. The moment the needle hit the vein, the transparent tubing turned a deep red that was almost black as it dripped down into the blood bag.  
_Would figure that it looks fucking black. Heart is probably as black as your rotten fucking soul._ He mused to himself as he allowed his arm to relax, turning his attention back to Kate while he waited for the bag to fill.  
“Should take about 15 minutes to get what we need, then we’ll feed it back into Kate. I’m not sure how long she’ll be out. Might be a few hours, might even be a few days-”  
“A few fucking days?” Negan pressed, running his unhindered arm to drag his free hand down his face and stubbled chin.  
“Her body has been through a significant trauma, some people react differently to that… It’s our body’s way of shutting down while you recover. The blood will obviously help immensely but it all comes down to her and when her body decides she’s ready to wake up.” Carson explained calmly as he pressed a piece of medical tape over the needle on Negan’s forearm to prevent it slipping out.  
“She is gonna wake up though?” Negan asked again, trying not to let his obvious amount of worry colour his voice. Carson looked at him in a way that could only be interpreted as apologetic.  
“She will, when she’s ready.” Carson insisted, his expression softer now that he could see just how the whole situation had affected him. The only other times he had been around Negan he was his usual arrogant, violent and sociopathic self; the man in front of him in many ways unrecognisable. As if sensing his change of opinion, Negan slouched back in his chair before he cast a glance at Carson side on.  
“Thanks an all doc but mind giving me some fucking space here?” He raised his eyebrows for emphasis and gestured towards the door.  
“Right.” Carson huffed and shook his head. “I’ll be back in 15 to take that out.” The doctor reiterated before he left the room, the quiet click of the door leaving them in peace.

Now that they were alone, Negan leant forward in his chair and reached for the small hand that lay prone next to Kate’s unconscious form, his eyes roved over her dainty fingers as his thumb drew patterns on the back of her hand. It had been at least an hour since they had been there and in that time, their combined scent had already started to fade from her body; Negan wrinkled his nose as the smell of antiseptic wash clung to her skin and toned down her natural scent of peach. His eyes looked up at Kate’s face as she lay blissfully unaware of the chaos that had ensued around her, his stomach clenched painfully when he realised that he was going to have to tell her that Beth hadn’t made it. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair, allowing his head to drop back as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

_She’s gonna fucking blame you for this. She’s lost someone else and she’s gonna blame you and you deserve it. You should have known that Tina was ready to go off._  
Negan chastised himself as he remembered every little remark he had caught Tina saying, every look she tossed Kate’s way and even the way that Kate had physically attacked her a few times. Nobody until now had ever dared to question the female hierarchy, but that was also because Negan also hadn’t played favourites until now either. The moment that Kate stayed in his bed, wore his clothes and got away with point blank spitting in his face, he should have known that it was going to rile her up. Tina had, after all, been the only willing Omega in his harem; the rest were there to pay a debt or keep others safe. Sherry had been taken from Dwight and after her initial refusal had accepted Negan as her Alpha the moment that Dwight’s life had been threatened. Beth was given the choice of living in the cells and experiencing every heat alone in agony or becoming his and Amber had been kept around to pay for the medicine her Mother needed. Tina had presented her Omega status early on and was eager to submit, what Negan hadn’t realised was that her emotions had made her so volatile and territorial that the moment Kate stepped over the threshold and took her status, it was a matter of time before it all came to a head.

Negan mulled all of this over in his brain; for so long he had kept around his wives to show his power over every Alpha in their midst but since Kate had come onto the scene, he had barely even scented a single other female let alone slip into their bedrooms when he was bored or entering a rut. This realisation made him swallow thickly as a decision now needed to be made. Tina’s actions couldn’t go unnoticed or unpunished and ultimately, Kate was never going to accept him as her Alpha as long as she was being challenged by other Omegas whether they were territorial like Tina or passive like Amber. He needed to decide what meant more to him, his power and status or his mate. His mind stilled as it rolled the word around again inside of his head.  
_Your mate. Your mate? That’s a fucking lie._  
He battled internally as his Alpha began to force its way back into his consciousness, the rumble of the growl inside of him could almost be felt as it rattled inside of his head.  
_She is yours, she will be yours, you just need to take her. Take her. Protect her. Kill for her._  
The voice was bordering a chant over and over until his thoughts were brought to a standstill at Carson coming back. 

When Negan looked down at the blood bag his eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw that it was already full; obviously his inner turmoil had distracted him for longer than he thought.  
“Alright this is good, we’ll just hook this up to Kate and she will be back with us in good time… You should probably know that since it will be your blood in her system there could be some small side effects-”  
“The fuck does that mean?” He looked across at Carson incredulously as he pulled the needle from the inside of his elbow and disposed of the tubing, his eyes following the doctor’s every move as he pulled out a fresh needle and tube set for Kate’s arm.  
“Well, since you’re an Alpha and she is your.... since she is an Omega, this may cause some of her behaviour to change momentarily while her body adjusts. Your hormones will have an enhanced effect on her body and so it is highly likely that when she wakes, her body will enter a heat triggered by what the body will assume is just a close proximity to you but that in addition to the bodily stress alone may trigger it anyway…” Carson began to ramble as Negan’s eyebrows pulled together and he gave him a look that said ‘get to the fucking point’.  
“We may need to sedate her for a few days while she recovers otherwise her heat may cause her body to go into a sort of shock from the temperature spikes et cetera.” He summarised finally as Negan stood at the end of her bed.  
“How long are we talking? A day? Two?” He asked impatiently.  
“Minimum 4-5 days. Her wounds need to heal for as long as possible and that way by the time she wakes, we can control her pain easier so she can go home-”  
“She has to stay here?!” He roared as the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.  
“I need to be close to her in case-”  
“Well fucking come with me!” He retorted as the doctor held up a hand, asking for patience.  
“All of my supplies are here and even if they weren’t I would not recommend moving her just yet until her body has recovered a little.” He confirmed with a tone of finality as Negan ground his teeth together while he regarded the man in front of him. He approached him and held a finger to his face, it wasn’t that he wasn’t grateful for what Carson had done, but the feeling that someone else knew what was better for his Peach ground his fucking gears.  
“I’ll give you four days. Do what you gotta do but in four days, I’m taking her back.” Negan finished before he walked to Kate’s side of the bed, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead and stalking out of the infirmary.

Every day that Kate had been unconscious, he visited her before the day was done. Although the separation seemed to physically hurt the Alpha inside of him, it wasn’t as painful as watching her lay there without the fire her presence usually possessed. In the day he would busy himself with his usual rounds to other settlements, assist on runs that were hunting for medical supplies (namely antibiotics just in case) and deal with any loose ends. By the time the sun would begin to set, he made his way back to Hilltop to check on her. On the second day, he had brought with him one of his plain white tees and boxers since the smell of the sterile environment was really starting to piss him off. When he was sure that nobody else was coming by, he ran a bowl of warm water and washed down her arms, legs, face and chest with a clean cloth before he slipped the clean clothes on her. It was the first time he had seen her naked body and not been almost frantic to touch and take more from her. The fact that he was caring for her so nobody else would have to in this way fulfilled the Alpha in him and pacified him for a while at least. The third day when he visited her, the room smelt instantly more like her and less like bleach and chemicals, her body had naturally reacted to having the scent of Negan so close to her constantly even though she wasn’t awake; this fact alone had eased how tense he had been for the entire day. 

When the fourth day came around, Negan refused to wait until the end of the day to make his way back to Hilltop and when he arrived with Dwight in tow, it was almost as if a spring was in his step as Lucille hung lazily over his shoulder.  
“Well good fucking mornin’ doc!” He exclaimed as he had pushed his way through the doors of the infirmary and forced a smile on his face.  
“Good morning Negan.” Carson replied curtly as he took Kate’s blood pressure and raised an eyebrow as he then moved to take her temperature, his brows again moving further up his forehead in surprise.  
“I know you’re here to collect regardless of what I say but she is, surprisingly, in remarkable condition. Strong pulse, normal temperature and even her blood pressure is pretty damn good. Wounds have made progress since a couple of days ago but there’s still a little swelling and bruising from where the knife punctured…” Carson looked up as Negan gestured with his hands to hurry it up and get to the point he was obviously trying to make.  
“She’s good to go. I gave her some meds about 3 hours ago so they should be wearing off pretty soon but you’ve got enough time to get her back to sanctuary… I think some familiarity will help when she comes around.” He summarised and watched as a wide grin pulled at the corners of the Alpha’s mouth while he held Lucille out for Dwight to take before approaching Kate on the bed. When he looked down at her it was as if she was back to normal and just taking a nap; her skin was now back to its sunkissed and freckled glory and even though her hair was in need of a wash, the golden hues of sunshine ran through it.  
“Your blood really will have made the difference, it would have taken weeks for her to recover otherwise. Just remember what I said though, it will affect her behaviour when she wakes and she will almost definitely hit her heat early.” Carson reiterated while looking between Negan and then to Dwight, noticing how Dwight visibly deflated at what this would potentially mean for Kate.  
“I got it doc.” The need to made lewd comments about her heat escaped him as the seriousness of the situated settled over him; it had bad enough to resist the urge to claim her even when she wasn’t in her heat, Negan knew what this meant and wasn’t prepared to let anyone else see what that meant for the two of them until he was ready.  
“Let’s get this little Peach home!” Negan declared as he scooped Kate’s still sleeping form from the hospital bed and made his way back to the truck, pausing briefly in the doorway before he left the infirmary.  
“Thanks, doc. I owe ya.” He stated as he left with Kate’s head tucked under his chin, the smell of honey and ripe fruit filling his nostrils once again.

\--------- Kate --------

The first thing she remembered as she woke, was the uncomfortable sensation of her limbs twitching to life. Much like when she first awoke in Alexandria and eventually Sanctuary, she followed the same little routine to ground herself before she opened her eyes and decided she was ready to face whatever she was met with on the other side of unconsciousness. She wiggled her fingers and then her wrists, a sigh of relief rushed past her lips when she realised her wrists were not bound; then she stretched into her biceps and moved her shoulders and neck. She wriggled her toes and rotated her ankles, again surprise following when she was met with complete freedom of movement. The moment that she tried to stretch her back and rib cage, she felt the painful pinch in her abdomen that made her still as she waited for the throbbing in her mid-drift to subside. Kate reached down and under the comforter with a hesitant hand as her fingers traced the puckered scar tissue about two inches long; her eyebrows pulled together in a frown.  
_When the fuck did I get that…._  
She thought as she tried to remember what had happened to her, her mind hurtling as she tried to remember the last thing that happened to her. She remembered waking up in a bed that smelt familiar, a white dress and a feeling of anxiety that made her muscles clench subconsciously. She remembered a crowd of people, Tina’s face distorted with rage and the clatter of metal falling to the ground. Her mouth ran dry as the final memory she could muster was Beth on the floor with her hand stretched out to Kate as they each grasped at their wounded bodies. Finally, she opened her eyes and blinked away the haze around her vision, her eyes straining as if they had been in the dark for weeks. Once she could see, her hands grabbed at the comforter that was covering her body and reached for the hem of the familiar white t-shirt that covered her down to her thighs. When she pulled it up to inspect her body, her eyes were met with the angry red scar a few inches above her belly button, the sight of the wound made her piece together the puzzle of her memories and tears began to gather behind her eyes as she forced herself to try and sit up, wincing at the freshly healed skin pulled tight on her tummy. 

She took in the surroundings of Negan’s quarters with confusion and swallowed as she tried to form words in her mouth.  
“N-Negan?” Was all that came out when she finally spoke, her vocal cords rubbing together like sandpaper from days of misuse. Her bottom lip began to wobble and her heart rate thundered with panic when she received no response. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Kate carefully placed her bare feet on the ground, the muscles in her calves and thighs screamed with protest the moment she began to move; the stiffness easing as she slowly made her way out of the bedroom and into the living quarters. She stopped in her tracks as the front door opened and instead of being met with Negan, she came face to face with Dwight who looked just as surprised to see her as she did to see him. Her confusion seemed to cover up any embarrassment she would have had at the fact that she was only wearing Negan’s t-shirt and boxers; she was too anxious to give it so much as a second thought.  
“You shouldn’t be out of bed Kate-”  
“Where’s Beth?” Was the first question that came out of her mouth, her voice barely a whisper from the strain of days of silence. When Dwight didn’t answer she asked again.  
“Dwight, where is she? Is she ok?” Her eyes pleaded with him for an answer but when his cool blue eyes met hers, she knew what the answer was.  
“She didn’t make it, she died at Hilltop.” When Kate’s face screwed up with confusion, Dwight explained what had happened at Sanctuary and what happened at Hilltop after. Before she could be consumed by grief, she felt rage lick at her from the inside as she clenched her fists at her sides. At no point during his explanation had Dwight said what had happened to Tina.  
“Where the fuck is Tina?” She demanded as her nostrils flared, her body filling with tension and anger at the realisation that Negan had kept her alive despite what she had done.  
_That’s how little you mean to him._  
The thought was like iced water being thrown over he body and her Omega whimpered in response; if he kept Tina around after this, she would rather go down kicking and screaming than be his, even if that meant not coming out alive.  
“I think you need to wait to speak to Negan.” Was the only explanation Dwight offered, his eyes pleading with her to calm down as she began to pace. 

It seemed that despite only being days after recovering from a stab wound, Kate was ready to fight regardless of the pain that seemed to radiate outwards. Dwight took notice of her wincing no matter how she tried to hide it and walked further into the living area, picking up the glass of water and pills that were waiting for her should she wake before Negan got back. He offered the pills to Kate but was met with her fierce gaze before she smacked his hands away from her.  
“Where is she?!” She roared this time, her hands shaking at her sides.  
“Where’s who, Peach?” A gravelly voice sounded before he stepped through the half open front door, a disconcerting shiver ran down her spine even at the sound of Negan after days of separation. Kate stood completely still as he walked into the room and like a switch, her body seemed to go into overdrive. Everything that she had ever felt seemed amplified. Her anger was tenfold, her anxiety made the tremble in her fingers into a visible shake, her body flushed from the crease of her neck to the tip of her toes and suddenly, every muscle in her body that ached before, seemed to scream in agony. She tried to shake her head and regain her focus as if the physical action would clear the fog but it didn't work; instead she clenched her fists and let her fingernails dig crescent shaped indents into the flesh of her palms. Drawing in a shaking breath, she met his gaze and nearly melted into the floor. Even in her anger and distress, the memory of every good feeling he caused her to have rushed back without the reminder of the pain he usually inflicted afterwards. His scent washed over her and despite being parched, her mouth began to water as she smelt the tones of sandalwood and leather. She tried to breathe through her mouth instead before she spoke.  
“...Where. Is. Tina?” She asked slowly as her eyes stared into his from across the room, forcing her gaze to stay on his eyeline rather than travel the length of his body.  
“In a cell” He answered quickly while he made no attempts at keeping his eyes to himself despite Dwight being in the room.  
“Why?” She retorted while clenching her jaw so tightly that it hurt, the muscles in her body suddenly burning with fatigue as sweat began to gather at her brow, the familiar sensation of her heat making its way to the apex of her thighs and settling there like a heavy weight.  
“Dwight you mind getting the fuck out?” He asked in a voice that said that was the most pleasant way he was going to make the request.  
“No, let him stay.” Kate tried to insist, suddenly not trusting her body’s reaction to the Alpha in front of her unless someone else was in the room to hold her accountable.  
“The fuck you think you are telling my men what to do? Dwight get out!” Negan barked with a tone of finality that made Kate’s heart rate pick up and the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Kate looked to Dwight in an almost pleading way before he nodded to Negan and left the room in silence. 

The tension between them was thick as she brought her gaze back to the Alpha in front of her, her nostrils flaring with anger as the twitch of pain in her side reminded her of why she was so angry in the first place despite her body’s need to be closer to him.  
“Why the fuck is she still alive Negan? Do I mean that little to you that one of your whores can literally stab me in front of you, kill another wife and you just let them live? You’ve treated me worse for even daring to exist in a world outside of your immediate control but because she fucking lays down for you whenever your dick gets hard she gets a free fucking pass?!” Kate screamed despite the pain in her throat. Her face had turned flushed with anger and her eyes had turned to a liquid amber as her chest heaved in front of him. She waited for him to say something. Anything. She nearly blew a fuse when the bastard smirked at her in response before he stalked closer to her, Kate backing up instinctively to keep the space she needed between them.  
“You wanna know why she’s still alive, Angel?” He asked in a tone that was falsely sweet as he advanced on her, waiting for her to nod her response at his question as she wetted her lips.  
“She’s alive, because I wanted you to be there when she gets her fucking punishment. I want you to be the one who decides her punishment.” He stalked towards her, his eyes alive with excitement as he got closer and her scent washed over him; it had gotten stronger since this morning, so much so that even just being near her was causing his body to react. He continued in a hushed whisper.  
“I want her to realise JUST before she dies, that she ain’t worth the ground that you fucking walk on and I wanted you to be awake when that happened.” He finished as his boots came toe to toe with her bare feet. Now that he was close enough, she could feel the heat rolling off his body and her body ignited in response.  
“Why?” Kate croaked out as her head tipped back to meet his gaze, her lips parting instinctively to the sight of him licking his own before he responded.  
“Cause’ she deserves to see that I’ve found my mate and it isn’t her. I want you to fucking crush her and make her feel the way I did the moment that knife slipped through your skin and you started to bleed out.” He admitted and watched for her reaction, a smirk pulled at the side of his mouth when he saw her pupils blow out. He loved the violence that lived within her and so did his Alpha; what he loved more, was the knowledge that the blood coursing through her veins was also his and working in his favour as she began to fidget on the spot. He reached a hand forward and with surprising gentleness cupped her chin in his hand as he looked down at her, Kate’s skin felt like it burned at the contact.  
“You get to decide what to do with her on the condition that you become mine.” He finished and took in the pulling of her eyebrows as she tried to process his words.  
“I already told you, I don’t want to be a play thing of yours waiting around for you whenever someone else doesn’t take your interest.” She replied and tried to pull away, only for his grip on her chin to tighten as he shook his head.  
“There isn’t going to be anyone else, Peach. Everyone but Amber is gone and I’m figuring something out for her. Just me n’ you. Your Alpha, my Omega.” Kate reeled from his proposition, the Omega within her bursting forwards into her consciousness and begging to be heard, the voice speaking to her as she tried to reason with her own train of thought.  
_Nobody is coming. There is no way out. Keep everybody else safe because you love them. Because you love him._  
As these thoughts hurtled through her head, her mind conjured images of Daryl and her heart clenched within her chest. She remembered the last time he had seen her and the words he had left her with.  
_“Just promise you’ll come back. Promise you’ll come back t’me.”_  
The words repeated within her as she remembered his scent and how it calmed her instantly. She remembered the safety she always felt in the cradle between his arms and chest. She remembered his shaggy hair as it always brushed into his eyes when he scowled in frustration; but she also remembered Negan’s promise to go back to Alexandria and kill them all if he ever smelt another Alpha on her again. In that moment she realised that there was only one choice to make. Kate knew she could deal with Daryl hating her and even hating herself; what she could not live with was more blood on her hands, even in the wake of Beth and not being able to process that fully. She swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat, her Omega pushing her forward to accept.  
_I’m so sorry, Daryl._  
“...Okay.” She whispered in acquiescence. Immediately Negan’s posture changed, his body pushing up against hers while he breathed her in and sighing in relief when she reciprocated. 

He slipped his hands into her hair and held the back of her head with one hand, the other trailing down to slip under the hem of her shirt.  
“Let me see.” He asked although it didn’t really seem like a request. Gingerly, she stood back from him and lifted the edge of her top to her waist to reveal the angry looking scar surrounded my mottled flesh with hues of purple and blue. Kate wasn’t a particularly vain person, but the addition of the new scar made her shift uncomfortably; if Negan noticed he didn’t mention it as he took in the sight of the red and freshly healed skin, even reaching a hand down to faintly trace over the flesh, making her tummy jump back from his touch on instinct.  
“You’re a fucking badass, Angel. Four days after being stabbed in the gut and you were ready to chew my ass up, weren’t you? Such a fucking big girl huh?” He asked with his voice purring down her ear, making her insides heat at the praise and her Omega preen, warmth beginning to gather between her thighs in response. The hand that was wound into her hair tightened ever so slightly as he brought her back against his form, his nostrils flaring while he absently licked at his bottom lip, grinning when her eyes followed the action intently.  
“I can fucking smell you from here… Did you miss me, Peach?” He asked her, the question made her eyebrows pull together as she found the answer which twisted in her chest like the knife Tina had buried in her only days before.  
“Yes, actually.” She admitted quietly as she let her own hand reach up to trace her fingers along his stubbled jaw, her body felt like it was slowly catching fire as she began to fidget and the weight in her belly intensified. She had missed him in the way that you miss the sound of a car alarm that had been shut off but it continues to ring in your ears despite the silence, but you convince yourself that you can still hear it to the point that weirdly, you wish you could hear it again just so you know you aren’t going crazy. The funny thing was, she felt like Negan was making her crazy. His smile widened at her answer and he tilted her head back as he towered over her, the closeness of his body was making her sweat and her clothes felt like sandpaper against her skin. She recognised the sensations that seemed to be building and starting to become painful in her and a low whine slipped from the back of her throat, catching them both by surprise.  
“Negan-” Before she could make any further request, he crushed his mouth against hers and kissed her deeply. The moment that Kate’s lips parted even a fraction, he took advantage and slipped his tongue into her mouth and stroked at hers and when she gently met his with her own, a low groan resonated from his chest that seemed to vibrate all over her body. The sound itself was like throwing gasoline on to a raging fire as any reluctance she had before melted away and she sank both hands into the hair at the back of his neck and pulled him closer. 

For minutes they fought for dominance in the form of their kiss, teeth sinking into the flesh of each other’s bottom lips and stealing the breath from each other’s lungs; the only time they came up for air was when Negan slipped his hands to the back of her thighs and picked her up, pressing her against the nearest wall and pinning her with his pelvis rocking against hers. Kate watched as he looked down between them, his hands still holding the backs of her legs tightly as he ground his crotch into her, his breath catching when he saw that the boxers he had slipped up her legs this morning while she was still asleep were now soaked and clinging to the flesh of her thighs.  
“Oh, Angel.” He smiled deviously as he allowed one hand to slip between them and press against her clothed sex, forcing all the air out of Kate’s lungs in a shaky exhale.  
“This all for me?” He asked out loud and looked at her through hooded eyes. When she didn’t answer him, he pinched his thumb and forefinger together over where he could feel her little bundle of nerves waiting eagerly for him. Kate hissed in response before she nodded enthusiastically and stuttered out a meek ‘yes’; now that she had accepted her fate and decision, she found it easier to get lost in all her bodily feelings and push away any thoughts of guilt or shame. She watched with blown pupils as Negan brought his hand up to his own mouth and sucked at the pads of his fingers before he slanted his mouth over hers again, smiling into the kiss when she eagerly sucked at the tip of his tongue knowing for sure that she could taste herself on him. Slipping his hands back under her thighs, he stood away from the wall and carried Kate into the bedroom; rather than being as rough as he usually would, he bent forward and gently placed her in the centre of his bed before standing back to look at her. Looking up at him as she rested up on her elbows, she could finally appreciate the handsomeness of his features. His eyes were almost black from the way his pupils had dilated, his lips swollen from their kisses and his chest heaved as he looked down at her doing the same. Without any words being exchanged between them, he began to peel his jacket off of his arms before tossing it on the floor and kicking off his combat boots. Next, he pulled his t-shirt over the top of his head and revealed his toned, weathered body littered with old tattoos; Kate watched with parted lips as he unbuckled his belt and pulled his jeans and boxers off of his legs in one movement and kicked them away. He stood before her completely naked in a way that he hadn’t before and all at once she understood; this was him trusting her in his own way. 

He crawled over her body like a predator stalking its prey, his hands cupping her calf and running up the length of her legs before slipping up the back of her thigh and grabbing the elastic of her underwear and pulling it down half way, chuckling darkly as she tried to shimmy out of the material while his body caged hers.  
“Eager?” His voice was low and husky as his other hand roamed the expanse of her sides, cupping under her full breast and flicking at her nipple and making her squirm, the slick that had previously gathered in her underwear now coated the inside of her thighs while she tried desperately to find friction anywhere.  
“P-please.” She begged even though she didn’t know exactly what for, her hips urging upwards to try and rock against his naked body above her but wincing when she over-stretched and pulled at the barely healed scar tissue. Negan tsked as his hand went from her breast to her hip and pinned her down.  
“Gotta be patient like a good girl, I would have waited until you were a little more healed-”  
“No! No please, please. I’ll be good. Just hurts. Everything hurts.” She croaked as the tension in her body became unbearable. She knew that Negan liked to make a habit of playing with his food, but the weight of her heat was making it hard for her to function in any way that didn’t involve him slipping inside of her. In a rare show of mercy on his behalf, Negan dipped his head and caught her breast in his mouth and sucked deeply, pulling a moan from Kate’s mouth as she felt heat radiate all over her body; the action made it that she barely registered his free hand finally pulling her underwear the rest of the way down and freeing her legs. He let her breast free with a loud pop before he pulled the t-shirt up and helped her take it off, leaving her naked finally. Kate tried not to cover herself as he sat back on his heels and looked down at her naked form, her entire body was flushed and she had begun to sweat. 

The smell coming off of her was making his head spin as he positioned himself between her legs, the plush head of his cock just touching the lips of her entrance. She whined when he made no move to enter her, instead he just looked down at her with something close to reverence behind his hazel orbs.  
“I’m gonna fuck you like the good girl you are, then I’m gonna mark you so everyone can see who’s you are.” He licked at his lips when Kate’s only response was to rock her hips forward, rubbing his tip at her lips while she panted; clearly the blood in her veins had made her pliant like Carson had said; a fleeting look of guilt passed through his eyes before he hid it away from her. In a painfully slow movement, he edged forward and slipped into her sex, cursing when he felt her walls tighten in response as her body tried to pull him all the way in automatically. She watched Negan above her as he took her in with hooded eyes, her hands clawed at the sheets when she couldn’t reach his shoulders while he pushed forward and pulled back while only an inch inside. It was only when she began to beg again that he moved his body over hers and settled in the cradle of her hips before sinking all the way in,a strangled moan escaped her lips as her body tried desperately to adjust. He snaked a hand to the back of her neck as he hovered over her and squeezed at the gland that sat at the base; the sensation of his hand there alone while he thrust inside of her pulled mewl after mewl from her lips, her legs that were now wrapped around his hips squeezed him closer as if nothing would ease the burn that had started inside of her; if she weren’t so frantic to douse the inferno, she may have even realised how gentle he was being with her in comparison to their first encounter. 

His other hand kneaded and caressed every piece of skin he could before he dipped his head and sucked at the side of her neck, smirking into her skin when he heard the babbling mess she was becoming underneath him; lewd wet noises permeated the room with every thrust and she felt the telltale tension in her body mount as his pace quickened. Much to Kate’s chagrin, he pulled all the way out and sat back on his heels above her before he turned her onto her side and laid down behind her; he moved her like a rag doll as he hooked his arm under her knee and surged back inside, the new angle and sudden intrusion nearly making her climax immediately.  
“Please Negan it hurts, it hurts and I’m s-so close.” She whined in a stuttered whisper while she tried to catch her breath.  
“You know all you have to do is ask, baby.” He cooed from behind her, his breath tickling the back of her neck and making her arch herself against him. He used his free arm to slip between himself and Kate’s back, capturing and pulling her hair away from her spin and exposing her gland to him. He leaned forward as he traced his tongue along the fleshy patch, causing her to moan deeply.  
“Not doing it until you ask, Peach.” His voice was strained now as he continued to increase his pace, the slick from between her legs had soaked the sheets below them.  
“P-please please please, Daddy please I need you, can I please!” She sobbed in a voice that she didn’t recognise as her own while she pushed her hips back in time with his and tipped her head forward to allow easier access to her gland, her Omega panting. Her declaration had Negan cursing behind her as somehow, she felt him swell thicker in response as her body tried desperately to take what her Omega wanted from him.  
“Such a fuckin’ good girl asking Daddy so nicely…” He panted against the back of her neck before resting his teeth against her tanned skin, waiting for his moment.  
“Cum.” He murmured against her skin and as soon as he felt her walls grip him in a vice from her climax, he sank his teeth into her gland. The first sensation Kate felt was pain. Feeling his teeth penetrate her skin had been more painful than she had anticipated but as soon as the initial burn from the puncture subsided, a sense of euphoria like no other washed over her like a tidal wave. Her vision went black as if her brain had short circuited and her body trembled under his; before she had much time to recover, the sensation of him cumming inside of her and seeping down between them sent her over the edge again as he continued to slide in and out of her and making all her muscles seize for a second time. For what seemed like an hour she just laid there panting, her mind buzzing like television static as she came down from her high; she only came to at the feeling of Negan pulling out of her, a low whine leaving the back of her throat. 

For the first time since knowing she was an Omega, she actively reached into her mind's eye to seek out her little wolf; feeling her laze with quiet satisfaction, she was startled when she felt the presence of another. Somehow, somewhere outside of herself, she sensed the presence of her Alpha’s wolf, as if not only did Negan and Kate have their own consciousness, but her Omega and his Alpha had their own and communicated with each other.  
“Well I’ll be fucking damned.” Negan murmured from behind her, the sound of his voice sending a warmth over her body that she had never felt before. She closed her eyes and took in his scent as well as their combined smell, her body relaxed instantly as she felt her breath even out and matched the rise and fall of Negan’s chest behind her.  
“Can you see them too?” Kate whispered, her eyebrows pulling together as she felt her little wolf reach out for his Alpha.  
“...I see ‘em Peach.” At the sound of his reply, his Alpha nuzzled at her in response and the feeling of content seemed to radiate from her chest outwards. Kate turned in his arms and looked up at him, her head resting against his bicep as she mentally went over everything in her head that had just happened; his gentleness and his surprising amount of consideration had stunned her. As if a knock on effect, Kate felt the compulsion to be as close as possible to him as she saw their wolves together. She buried her face into the side of his neck and breathed deeply, instantly she felt her Omega settle again and slowly, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	17. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so so sorry about how long this chapter has taken; life has really taken off at the moment and I'm studying to be a nurse so things are a little hectic! I promise this story is getting finished, you just need to bare with me <3  
> I love you all and your comments push me to carry on.  
> Apologies for the shorter chapter, I just need to get back into the swing of things... Hope you guys like it!

It was only hours later that Kate felt herself stir again and she woke in almost the exact same position that she had drifted to sleep in; her nose buried in the crook of Negan’s neck with her leg lazily resting over his stomach. She felt the deep inhales as his chest and belly rose, then felt the exhales of his breath tickle the top of her head. She kept her eyes firmly shut as she tried to hold on to all of the good that she could, desperate to just enjoy the afterglow before the harshness of reality would pull her back down to earth with a thud. Even just the thought of somewhat trying to enjoy whatever _this_ was, she reminded herself of everything she had done or had allowed to be done. As if right on cue, Kate felt the deep ache between her legs as if her body wouldn’t dare to allow her to forget the marks Negan had left, or rather, one mark in particular.  
Her eyes shot open and the hand that was resting lazily on Negan’s chest moved slowly to the back of her neck with trembling fingers; the moment the pads of her fingertips felt the indentation on her scent gland her breath caught in the back of her throat. Slowly, she extracted herself from Negan’s side, doing her utmost to leave him quietly sleeping as she made her way to the bathroom. Reluctantly, she looked at herself in the mirror; the very same that had been replaced since her outburst not even days ago and let out a stuttered breath before turning the taps on and almost aggressively scrubbed at her face, splashing hand after hand of cold water on to her face like she was trying to wake herself from a bad dream. When it got almost to the point of waterboarding herself she stopped, resting her forearms on the edge of the sink with her head bowed down while she tried to calm her now erratic breathing.

_You fucking idiot. What the hell have you done? Offered yourself up to be someone's pet that’s what you’ve done!_ She berated herself even as her Omega growled in displeasure, the snout of a little rust coloured wolf lifting as it grumbled at the mere insinuation of regret for allowing herself to be mated.  
_You’ll never be free again. Everyone you love is just a bargaining chip you fucking traitor!_ Her thoughts continued to spiral as unshed tears began to cloud her vision, even as her Omega nipped at her, making her insides cramp painfully as she fought against herself.  
_You’ll never see them again, they’ll never wanna see you again!_ She gripped the edge of the ceramic sink with such a force that her knuckles turned white.  
_You’ve betrayed them all, you’ve betrayed Tara, Beth, Sherry and you fucking turned your back on Daryl. You’ll never get to have a home._ Her Omega snarled this time. _ALPHA IS HOME._  
The snap of her Omega pulled her from her spiralling thoughts, her head looking up so quickly she could have given herself whiplash as she searched for the source of the voice. Her heart leapt in her chest like a rabbit being chased when the presence of… _something_ reached out to her. Kate stared at herself in the mirror before closing her eyes, convinced that she was going insane when she felt the tendrils of warmth creep down her spine and try to soothe her; her Omega pushed closer to the feeling but could never seem to reach, her body physically in pain from the feeling of chasing something intangible. As quickly as the sensation spread, she felt the warmth withdraw like a comforting blanket being pulled away and leaving her cold. Kate stood there catching her breath as she tried to make sense of what was happening to her, mentally she scowled at her Omega as she continued to whine, an accompanying ache setting into her muscles and heat building between her legs that spread to the surface of her skin, heat brickling beneath the surface; it had only been a few hours, but her second nature was throwing her weight around and demanding to be listened to.  
_Alpha…._  
As quickly as the thought entered her head, she slapped it away instantly and clenched her hands into fists, her fingernails digging crescent shaped into the flesh of her palms. 

For what felt like an hour but was actually only minutes at most, Kate stood there, facing down her Omega as her body fought to obey her basic instincts.  
Her Omega whined again as pain began to radiate out from between her legs, her muscles cramping in response even as she tried to ignore what was happening to her.  
“Stop overthinking it and just listen to you goddamn body and stop being so fucking stubborn.” A voice still groggy from sleep called from the other room and stopped all thoughts in her mind as her Omega stood to attention. Wearily, she remained in the bathroom as even though her thoughts had slowed to a less frantic pace, her body still ached as she felt the familiar heavy heat begin to increase in her veins. Kate grounded herself by trying to focus on the cold tiles beneath her feet rather than the heat prickling at her skin, skin that she realised was still naked from the night before. The reminder brought her attention to her scent which rather than the smell of just peach, now mingled with an undeniably albeit slightly spiced scent. Before she smelled like fresh peaches picked that morning, gently warmed by the sun; now she smelled hints of cinnamon and something woodsey linger over her skin. The scent swirled into her nostrils and further calmed her heartbeat... she hated herself all the more for it.

“Don’t fuckin ignore me princess I hate that shit.” Negan’s voice startled her from the doorway of the bathroom, her glare falling to his naked form that leaned lazily against the wooden frame. Before Kate could acknowledge the apology, her Omega felt compelled to rush it out of her mouth before a reprimand followed.  
“M’sorry… There’s just, there’s just a lot goin’ on up here.” She let out a shaky exhale while pointing to her head and scrubbing hands down her face, rubbing her eyes to stop herself from looking at him. She could feel his stare burning into her skin as Negan took her in from the tips of her toes right up to her sleep messed hair, a blush creeping up her body in its wake.  
“Well what’s there to think about Peachie? You need me n Daddy’s right here...” Negan stepped forward towards her and her heart thudded painfully in her chest in response as if it was straining to get physically closer. Kate breathed deeply and regretted it instantly, tasting his scent on her tongue that was now also distinctly sweeter since the day before, her mouth flooded with saliva in recognition.  
Raking a hand through her hair she squeezed painfully at the roots to try and bring some sense back to herself; she held a hand out in front of her as she finally opened her eyes to look back at Negan while he tried to approach her.  
“Please Negan I-I can’t think when you’re… When you’re this close an-”  
“And what, Baby?” he cooed at her, edging closer into the room like a predator stalking his prey.  
“I can’t focus when you look at me like that! Stop it!” Her words rushed out all at once, his grin in response did little to settle her and try as she might, she felt a smile pull at the edges of her mouth as he got closer.  
“Say it like you actually mean it.” He quipped back playfully and quirked an eyebrow in her direction before stopping a few inches away from her; she could feel the heat radiate from his naked skin which she had pointedly avoided glancing at as she knew as soon as she did, all would be lost. 

Negan lazily allowed his eyes to wander over her naked chest, down her petite torso to her hips where the bones had begun to jut out underneath her skin. Reluctantly, his eyes met hers again.  
“D’ya know how easy it would be for you if you just let me fuckin’ take care of you?” He asked her, his tone suddenly taking a little more of a serious edge.  
“Ain’t that easy Negan.” Kate shook her head as the words came out like a whisper, the smile fading from her lips as she watched wrinkles appear between his eyebrows.  
“An why’s that?” He countered, the dark chocolate of his irises hardening as if anticipating her rejection; what he didn’t expect was the vulnerability that she looked at him with as she chewed on her bottom lip, warring with the words that wanted to spill from her mouth. Her explanations circled her head, all of which she knew would only make him angry although when she considered it, she could handle his anger as she knew that side of him; what she didn’t know or trust was his gentleness.  
“I don’t trust anyone but me.” It wasn’t a lie, but even Kate knew that this was not the full extent of her insecurities. Negan had had 4 wives before her. Four wives that had since gone down to two wives in the space of little over two weeks, a fact that seemed to do little to even upset Negan. Her heart clenched painfully at the memory of Beth again, the image of her outstretched hand reaching towards Kate; she knew just how easily it could have been her. Would he have even batted an eye if she had bled out? The memory of his expression as he looked down at her, panicked stricken as she drifted in and out of consciousness confused her as his actions didn’t always marry up to what he said. How long was it gonna be until she pushed him a little too far one day and he grew sick of her shit?

“Well that’s a fuckin’ lie an we both know it cause otherwise…” He closed the small distanced between them and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, squeezing over her scent gland and gently massaging it with strong hands. The feeling of the same presence from before washed over her again, the appearance of a much larger chocolate brown wolf pushed its way into her mind and nuzzled at her much smaller, rust coloured Omega.  
“Otherwise I couldn’t do that an I wouldn’t be able to feel how fuckin’ scared your little wolf is.” He finished as he ducked his head down, forcing her eyes to meet his while her bottom lip wobbled, the realisation that the feeling she had felt before was Negan’s Alpha reaching out to her even from another room shook her. The level of comfort she was getting from this man was starting to worry her.  
“M’not scared-”  
“Don’t fuckin’ lie to me.”  
“M’not fuckin’ scared Negan!” Kate found her voice again as annoyance prickled her skin, overtaking the heat that had begun to rear its ugly head again after only appeasing it hours before. She tried to bat his hand away from the nape of her neck and push him away but he only tightened his hold and straightened to his full height, towering above her.  
“Such a big fuckin’ brave girl but you can’t admit that you’re scared of me?” He mocked her, the softness that was in his eyes quickly changing to match his ridicule, only stoking the flames of her anger that had begun to build as she pushed away at his chest although he barely even flinched as she struggled in his arms.  
“Can fuckin live out there all by yourself crushin’ skulls and living a day away from bein’ dead but can’t put your big girl pants on infront of Daddy?” He mocked her again.  
“I’m not scared of you Negan, I’m scared you’ll make me need you and throw me away like a used up little Omega the second a new piece of ass takes your attention and I end up dead like the rest.” She spat back at him and watched as all humour drained from his face. Kate felt inside of her the instant that his Alpha whined at her, the weight of his disapproval pushed down on her shoulders like a force greater than gravity itself. She watched the way his jaw tensed all the while waiting for him to snap in response. Negan took a deep breath before looking back down at her and squeezing the back of her neck again.  
“Why is it that I’ve gotta make you lose your shit before you can bring yourself to tell me the goddamn truth Angel?” He replied in a tone that was more gentle than she was anticipating. The venom that had been building in her ebbed away like a retreating wave on stormy shores. Kate’s hands dropped to her sides and her muscles went rigid as he bent his head down and buried his nose in the side of her neck and inhaled deeply, goosebumps rose to the surface of her skin as despite herself, she leaned into his touch for comfort.  
“Told you there ain’t gonna be anyone else and do I look like the kinda guy that says soppy shit for no reason?” He mumbled into the crease of her neck, the stubble around his mouth scratching at her skin and when she didn’t answer him, she felt the sharp nip of his teeth at her shoulder, causing a shudder to run through her and a throb between her legs in response.  
“...No.” Kate sighed, her arms still hung at her sides as she fought the urge to pull him closer or reciprocate, making her Omega pine when he pulled back from her only to hold her face in his hands and force eye contact on her. There was nowhere to hide beneath his stare.  
“Don’t get me wrong Peach I fuckin’ love it when you pop off at me and get all fiery but if I feel your lil wolf cryin’ out for me, my Alpha fucking HATES it and it makes me fuckin mad as shit that you would rather suffer than tell me what you need.” He finished with finality lacing his voice, his thumbs resting under her jaw and pushing her head back.  
“So just fucking… tell me when you need me an stop being so stubborn.” Rather than being a statement, it settled in her bones more like a command. 

Kate hesitated while Negan looked at her expectantly as she tried to find the mouth that always ran away with itself whenever she got mad. The weight of his Alpha’s disappointment still weighed heavily on her shoulders and compressed her chest; her Omega whined in response to the sensation as it begged to just reach out to him. Her head and her heart were two opposites pulling in different directions, her head screaming at her to just stop and take a fucking look at herself, but her heart was so heavy with the loneliness, insecurity and grief that it had been slowly consuming her from the inside out. It was like in the last few days she had developed a second personality, her Omega trying to force Kate into the back seat as it screamed for her to just do what her body told her to do. She knew it would be all too easy to just give in; what she was scared of was what she would become when she did.  
“I don’t understand what’s happening to me or how I feel but I can feel you everywhere and I hate it.” She answered as much smaller hands reached up and encircled his wrists which held her face steadily in place. A rush of air was forced out of Negan’s nose as his head drooped and he shook his head.  
“Well you need to get the fuck over it princess cause shit’s gonna get a lot harder before it gets easier. I can see you punishing yourself for shit that ain't your fault and that you think you deserve all the pain you’re inflicting on yourself but that’s some bullshit right there.” Kate stood silently, clinging on to Negan’s wrists as he figured out her insecurities just from one look on her face and a small insight into her mind.  
“Tina killed Beth, not you. I killed Tara, not you. I made you fucking kill Sherry and you made that sacrafice to stop other people suffering.” Kate scrunched her face up in disgust as he listed the names of all those that had suffered at both of their hands. She began to pull away from him and tried to pull his hands away, but he only forced himself closer, his naked skin finally coming into full contact with the whole of her body and lighting her on fire just as her own rage began to wake her back up from her reverie.  
“I fuckin’ hate you an I hate what you’ve done to me!” She screamed at him now, breaking the silence that had settled around them as she felt her feet moving backwards from Negan pushing her to the tiled wall behind her, one of his hands twisting in her hair and shielding it from colliding with the hard surface while the other held her chin and pushed her head back.  
“No baby you don’t, you hate that they’re dead because of me and that you still want me and that’s what you need to get the fuck over.” The moment the words left his mouth, the truth of them were like a slap across the face and the tears that she had held at bay, spilled from her eyes and down her cheeks.  
“Just let it go-”  
“I can’t just let it go!” She cried back at him as her body began to shake from the feeling of trying to hold him back as well as hold her shit together, her hands beating at his bare chest which didn’t even seem to phase him.  
**“LET THE GUILT GO.”** He commanded in a voice that was lower than any she had heard before, the rumble as the words reached her ears vibrated the inside of her skull and travelled down her spine; a whine escaped from the back of her throat without her permission as the force of an Alpha command left his lips without Kate even fully understanding what that was. The sensation of her own mind quieting and her Omega taking the reins was like an out of body experience. The insecurities and guilt that riddled her body bled away and left behind only her physical needs, the want to please her Alpha and rage from anyone that had staked a claim to what was hers or tried to take it away. The irises of her eyes swirled like molten amber as she looked back up at him; he watched her reaction in return as her hands still balled up in fists rested on his naked chest. He had used an Alpha command before on his Beta’s, even on a few of his unmated Omega’s, but never in a way to calm another. Kate would still know what she was doing, she still had a choice, but what had previously held her back was now gone. In one simple command he had in some ways freed her; in others it was like a prison sentence.

Kate’s hands unclenched, the white of her knuckles relaxing under the skin as her fingers flexed and rested on top of the hair that littered Negan’s chest; Negan’s fingers that were tangled through the strands of her hair at the back of her head scratched at her scalp soothingly before loosening his grip, his other hand moving to cradle her cheek. Her Omega pined for something more and instead of ignoring it like she usually would, Kate instantly gave in to the need for comfort and nuzzled herself into his hand before she reached up from his chest and twisted her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and tugged him closer. A gruff sound left the back of Negan’s throat and he stepped forward and pressed his body against hers; every inch of her torso was pressed against his, her breasts pushed flush against the bottom of his ribs. With her head tipped back to keep his eyeline, Negan watched for her to make the first move. Everything up until now had been initiated by him, she had always been coerced, riled up or just at the point of a mental breakdown. Heat simmered under her skin as the need that had retreated in the wake of her rage now returned full force and slammed into her with such force that it stole the breath from her lungs. Kate licked at her bottom lip, her eyes flitting to Negan’s mouth before she looked back at his face. Instead of voicing what she needed, she took it from him as she crushed her mouth against his. As soon as his lips shifted open even a fraction, her tongue pushed into his mouth insistently and licked inside his mouth and as if she had tasted him for the first time, a pleased growl rumbled in the depths of her chest. Kate felt Negan’s grin in response as he fought for dominance against her, his hands moving from her neck and face to grab harshly at the rounded slope of her hips and knead at the flesh there before forcefully hoisting her up and pinning her to the cold tiles behind her and her legs wrapping around his narrow waist. Negan pulled back from Kate, a dark chuckle escaping his mouth when she whined in protest and he moved himself out of reach.  
“What’s the matter baby?” He asked with his head cocked to the side, taking in her swollen lips and blown pupils. Before, Kate wouldn’t have answered and if she had, she would have lied. She wouldn’t have told him the truth until it was practically pulled out of her by force or from a threat of violence. But now, things were different.  
“I need to feel you, please Daddy.” She all but whined in reply without even second guessing her words.  
In one simple command from Negan, she no longer felt the guilt of Tara’s body in the mud in front of her. She no longer allowed the grief that accompanied the guilt of Beth’s murder to consume her whole and chip away at who she was before; because now, she was something new. One simple sentence from him, and all was lost.


	18. Retribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry it's taken me a while to get going, honestly I'm still torn between two versions of this story and I haven't decided which way to go.
> 
> I've mised it up a little a changed perspectives a couple of times throughout this chapter... Let me know if you like the format or not. I've also included a picture of the dress in case anyone was interested. IDK what I'm doing.
> 
> What do you guys want to see happen with this story?
> 
> Thanks as always for your comments, you keep me writing!

  


The change in Kate’s personality had been instantaneous. The moment that the Alpha command had left Negan’s lips and settled at the base of her skull, it was like the trauma and grief combined with the command had changed her down to her very bones. The shame that had held her back from responding to her baser instincts was now non-existent. The moment she felt an impulse, she barely contemplated any consequences before acting on it. If she wanted to touch, she would touch. If she wanted a growl to rip from her throat like her Omega demanded, she allowed it to vibrate from the very pit of her stomach until the violence of her wrath was all she could hear. Now that she no longer had to contend with the guilt of her betrayal, it was as if her emotional filter had been dimmed and now, she was reduced to acting on what her Omega wanted; her first self taking a back seat and watching from the sidelines as her hindbrain took the wheel. To some it would appear that she was just acting on an Alpha command, but deep down she was acting on self-preservation.

Once she had been stripped away of her guilt, all that was left was the whine of her Omega as the beginnings of her heat washed over her with a fierceness that neither of them had anticipated. There was no warmth and no tenderness shared between them as she clawed at him to bring him closer. A part of her still felt the faintest bit of repulsion as her nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders, she wanted to maim him for staking his claim on her after all he had done; even her Omega snarled as he constantly pushed for her submission because what she gave was never enough. Like every time before, she remained pinned and at his mercy as he forced her to beg for what she needed. Her body began to sweat as the pain in her muscles began to build in that familiar way, her hips rushed forwards to try and meet his desperately as he denied her the friction she needed. A frustrated growl worked it’s way from her mouth as she leant back from him, his hands holding her against the wall by the rounded flesh of her hips, his own waist nestled between her thighs as he looked down at her with that cocky smirk he always wore so well.

“I know what you need to feel Angel, but I gotta take my time.” He looked down his nose at her, watching the way the heat from her neck spread to her flushed chest and across her cheeks, her face colouring with annoyance and frustration. If she wasn’t being held up by Negan, she swears at this moment she would have stomped her foot on the floor like a child.  
“Why?” The word came out of her mouth like a wine as she felt her heart hammer in her chest and the pressure between her legs increase. She felt her hips tilt forwards again to try and grind against him, but his hands pinned her back in place as he tutted her.  
“Cause if you aint nice and ready, the way I wanna fuck you I’m pretty sure I’ll split you the fuck in half.” The promise in his voice sent a shiver down her spine as she whined again like it was the only thing in the world she wanted. 

As she felt the pressure between her legs build, so did her frustration. Removing one of her hands from his shoulder, she snaked it down between them and found her center already soaked with her slick. Before her fingertips could reach her destination, the firm grip of Negan’s hand wound around her wrist and thrust it back against the wall, eliciting a hiss to work its way past Kate’s lips.  
“Uh uh uh you don’t get-”  
Before Negan could finish his sentence, Kate clenched her teeth and stifled a scream that was muffled by her closed lips as she threw her head back in anger.  
“Just fucking touch me!” She screamed as she tried to snatch her hand away from him to no avail as he doubled down his efforts to keep her in place, the hand that was wound in her hair grasped her face while he stared her down. He took the hand that was holding her wrist in place and thrust it between them, cupping her sex in his palm.  
“This…. This fucking belongs to me.” Negan purred out in a menacing tone as he rubbed in harsh circles, making heat and liquid flood from her entrance and between them, soaking his torso and hand. A salacious smile spread across his lips as he lowered his face inches to hers, her erratic breathing fanning hot air across his face as she refused to meet him in the middle.  
“You don’t get to touch it until I fuckin’ say so-”  
Negan’s demand was interrupted by a banging at the door, the door rattling at its hinges from the force of the fist pounding the hard surface. His hand continued to move in circles as his eyes pinned hers in place, her panting increasing as his pace quickened. The banging continued again, this time continuing until Negan barked out an angry response.  
“THE FUCK CAN BE SO IMPORTANT.” He shouted, his hand never ceasing its ministrations while Kate’s muscles began to tense beneath him.  
“It’s Tina, boss she ain’t stopped screamin’ for the past hour demanding to see you. She attacked Simon.” The sound of Dwight’s voice broke the trance that Kate had been in, all of the sensation that had been building between her legs seemingly forgotten as she used all of her strength to push Negan away from her, her legs landing shakily as he looked down at her with confusion and annoyance pulling his eyebrows into a scowl.  
“She knows Kate’s alive n’ says she wants to speak to her.” Dwight finished as he waited patiently on the other side of the door. Kate’s nostrils flared in rage as she stormed past Negan and headed to his door, ready to rip it open and go flying to wherever she was being held. Just as her hand wrapped around the handle and she began to pull the door open, a hand slammed the door shut from behind her. Kate whirled around, her eyes like liquid amber as her anger flared behind them.  
“The fuck do you think you’re doin’ sweetcheeks?” Negan asked in a falsely calm tone as he stared her down.  
“Gonna go and talk to her of course” She gritted out between clenched teeth; Negan looked down at her incredulously, looking for further clarification.  
“Baby, you’re as naked as the day you were born and as much as I’d love to see what that pissed off little look is gonna end in… If I see another man look at you I might burn this whole fucking place to the ground.” His voice was rough and gravely as his dark eyes looked at her, the flush that had left her face came back, a tiny whine getting caught in her throat as the forgotten heat between her legs throbbed in response.  
“Go put some clothes on and you can go….. Talk it out.” He smirked as he gestured his head back towards the bedroom.

Reluctantly, Kate peeled herself off of the door and walked towards the bedroom, casting a glance over her shoulder she found Negan watching her with a hungry look on his face. Cheekily, Kate stuck out her tongue in his direction and watched as his eyes burned into her before banging his fist against the door and shouting back to Dwight.  
“Get her ready then, but keep her in the cells, think this might get messy.” Negan finished before he followed Kate into his bedroom and watched as she got changed, his eyes dragging down her legs, noticing the glistening between her legs had now run down between her thighs.  
“Jesus fucking Christ…” He murmured under his breath while he watched her walk over to his closet and rifle through his clothes, stalling when she came across a particular item and pulled it out. In her hands, was a charcoal black cotton dress covered in thousands of tiny daisies. The material was thin and soft as she smoothed it between her fingers; she looked over at Negan in question who nodded in response.  
“S’been in there from the last scavenge I went on. Got it at the same time as your wedding dress but obviously I didn’t get to show you since-”  
Negan didn’t finish his sentence when he saw how Kate’s features darkened.  
“S’yours. Reminded me of you.” Negan added almost shyly as he walked over to his side of the bed, pulling on the clothes that had been left around the bed, noting the way his clothes smelt that bit sweeter after having Kate in such close proximity. He watched her carefully as she studied the dress for a while longer as if contemplating whether it was some kind of trap or not.  
“Figured you wouldn’t wanna wear the same as the other girls… Since you’re different.” Kate turned to look at him then.  
“Am I?” She asked in question. The fact that he wanted to put her in a dress left her unsure how to feel about his token of affection. Was she just another dolly to be dressed up and played with? Just another play thing? 

Kate felt the moment the presence of his wolf made itself known, the feeling of another pushing its way into her consciousness and sensing the doubt that riddled even her hindbrain.  
“Stupid fuckin’ question Angel, the mark on your neck should be a dead giveaway.” He stated in a deadpan tone of voice as his Alpha attempted to offer comfort to the rust coloured wolf that hesitated before he withdrew completely when she didn’t reciprocate. If Kate looked him in the eyes then, she would have seen the trepidation, even fear that coloured his irises as he waited for her approval. Kate pulled the garment close to her and gave a sniff to the material; it already smelled like Negan from hanging with his clothes and the warmth of that familiarity spread something close to affection through her; not quite affection in the way that someone may love another, but from the comfort the smell brought her.  
“Thank you.” She whispered quietly as she held the dress out in front of her again before pulling it over her body, foregoing a bra as the dress wrapped around her body and held her in all the right places without being tight or constricting. Her arms were left bare and her shoulders exposed, the back of the dress criss-crossing before pulling in tightly at her waist. At the front, it dipped down to the center of her chest, leaving a long, thin line of tanned skin still in view, the length of the dress brushing just above her knees.  
_Well at least it’s loose enough to fight in and not soaked in blood… Yet._ She thought to herself as she smoothed it down before pulling on her battered old black converse that surprisingly complimented the whole outfit. Next she set about combing her fingers through her tatty hair that was littered with knots. The next time she was able to go out, she desperately needed to find herself a goddamn hair brush. Haphazardly, she pulled her golden brown hair on to the crown of her head and tied it into a loose bun, leaving the nap of her neck exposed, a deep satisfaction thrumming through her that everyone would see what was there, something that if Kate was in her right mind, would cringe at. She inhaled deeply, chewing at her bottom lip as she inhaled the smell around her. She could smell her own arousal, but more importantly, Negan’s too. She smelt like sex and sweat, something that before Kate would have insisted on ridding herself of by scrubbing herself relentlessly. Now, she just grinned to herself deviously, knowing that if she could smell it, that’s exactly what Tina would smell too.  
_I’m going to make her fucking suffer if it’s the last thing I do._

Finally she turned to look at Negan, finding that he had been watching her this whole time, looking like he was about to eat her alive. The look in his eyes alone made a blush explode across her face and creep down her neck. Kate looked down at the ground before she made her way past him to go to the front door and leave, only for him to capture her wrist as she was about to walk by.  
“Mmm. There’s a couple’a things we need to go through before we leave cause I think you’ve forgotten something.” He stated as he licked at the inside of his teeth before producing a ring from his pocket and grabbing Kate’s hand, pushing the ring down her slender wedding ring finger.  
“Don’t ever take this off.” He insisted as he twirled the ring around her delicate finger, looking down at her and watching as a smirk pulled at the corners of Kate’s mouth.  
“Somethin’ funny bout what I just said?” Negan murmured with only the slightest hint of humour to his voice. Kate looked up at him and chewed at the inside of her cheek before she replied.  
“Anyone would think you’re insecure y’know.” She stated matter-of-factly as she pulled her hand away from his palms to look at the ring herself. She always assumed that when she saw a ring on her finger, back before the world turned to shit, that she would feel joy. Overwhelming joy, love and happiness. Something. Looking at it catching the light, she found that she felt numb. Maybe she knew she should be feeling guilt and since the Alpha command had washed that away, she was left with the feeling of static in her head and chest. Kate felt Negan’s eye staring holes into the side of her head as she assumed he was measuring how to react to her.  
“Maybe I fuckin’ am, your previous behaviour doesn’t exactly inspire me with confidence baby girl.” The second the term of endearment left his lips, she felt herself physically cringe and pain hit her square in the chest, memories assaulting her of blue eyes and calloused hands in fields of wildflowers.  
“Don’t call me that.” She whispered quietly.  
“Case and fucking point…” He raised his voice barely and held his hands out at his sides in annoyance as he backed away and began to pace towards the door.  
“That’s something we gotta fix… But not right now.” He turned back to her, his smile sinister before he licked at his teeth and smiled even wider.  
“No, I think we need to build you up to that particular… resolution.” He promised as he turned and headed towards the door,  
“W-what are you talkin’ about?” Kate asked after him, finding her feet and following his footsteps out of his apartment, struggling to catch up with his much larger strides.  
“Talk about it later, Peach. Right now, we got another loose end to deal with.” He finished with a tone of finality as they headed towards the cells.

\------ Negan ------

Watching the way that Kate had changed beneath him was as close as he could get to the thrill of quenching his own bloodlust without spilling a single drop. He watched in awe as the command registered in her brain, the way her pupils reacted, sat against the deep amber that swirled with her anger. He felt as her muscles loosened, her jaw losing its tightness and the tension in her shoulders all but melting under the relief of letting the weight of grief that had been drowning her go. Feeling the roughness of her need lit a fire in himself; he knew that she was no gentle little angel like she sometimes appeared, but the way her nails dug into his shoulder blades gave a whole other level of appreciation to the woman in front of him.  
_Mine._  
The same thought echoed through him, repeated by himself and his Alpha and even as he watched her dress in his quarters, his eyes devoured every inch of her tawny skin, his fingers itching to touch every inch of her body. The little slip of a dress hugged her far too narrow waist, he frowned at how slim she looked compared to a few weeks ago, the stress of recent events taking their toll on her petite body. His face soon changed to its usual state of arousal that it seemed to be around Kate when the realisation of her lack of underwear washed over him. Everyone would be able to smell her, but more importantly, they would be able to smell him still on her and pride overtook him at the sentiment. There was one last thing he needed to do because still nothing felt like enough. The indentations of his bite mark at the nape of her neck, the smell of spice on her usual fresh peach scent, the sweetness added to his own, none of it was enough. He wanted everyone to know that she was his and only his. He slipped his hand into his leather jacket as he pulled it on over his freshly clothed form, his fingers catching the yellow gold band that used to belong to someone else; his someone else. 

Negan’s hand shot out as she went to walk past him and he marvelled at how the band was almost a perfect fit, slightly loose on her slender fingers although he had every intention of getting her hips nice and rounded again. Negan tried not to react when she accused him of being insecure, though it cut right to the core of him. He knew that whether she would admit it or not, before he laid his claim to her, she belonged to someone else; bite mark or not. He just had to make it so there was no room for nobody else, or that there was nobody left for her to make room for. He wasn’t a man accustomed to sharing. He had his plans, he knew Kate wouldn’t like them, but she would forgive him. She wouldn’t have a choice in that.  
Heading down towards the cells, he could feel Kate’s anxiety and anger behind him, her little wolf letting her emotions pour out to him from her hindbrain, probably without her knowledge as she caught up to him.  
“Why are we goin’ back to the cells Negan?” She asked in a voice that betrayed her worry.  
“Cause’ we got unfinished business Peach. Don’t worry, promise I won’t leave you there… Unless you’re a bad girl again.” He replied flatly, watching as Kate’s body stiffened even at the insinuation that she would be left to rot in that cell again. No doubt she was remembering all the pictures that littered the walls. He wondered idly how she would react now that she felt no guilt for the deaths she held herself responsible for.  
“We?” Kate repeated as she finally caught up with his longer legs, the material of her dress brushing the tops of her knees.  
“Well… You got your shit with Tina but so have I.” He glanced across at her, gauging a reaction as it fleeted across her face. He saw the anger at the mere mention of Tina’s name which was also followed by confusion at the later part of his sentence.  
“So what’s gonna happen?” Kate pushed again, trying to ignore the anger that had begun to thrum in the back of her skull, knowing that she was soon going to be confronted with the person that murdered Beth, the person who tried to murder her, but also the person who would take her Alpha for her own. Her rusted coloured wolf snarled at the last sentiment, its lips pulling back over its canines to showcase its rage, a rage that Negan could sense beside him. He smiled to himself as he looked across at her while they continued walking. This is how he needed her right now.

“Well I’ll be honest with ya…” he slowed down as they rounded the corner to the cells, grabbing Kate’s hand gently and pulling her to face him, rather than the scene that was awaiting them. His eyes narrowed when he heard Kate snort at the word honest, his jaw clenching and eyebrow raising in a way that said ‘I dare ya.’ When she said nothing and looked up at him instead, he went on.  
“She nearly fucking killed you and I all but lost my damn mind at the prospect of that. Nobody takes what is mine and that can’t go unpunished as there are expectations that have to be met. If she aint dealt with, the whole place will turn to shit.” He finished, looking at Kate’s freckled face and tatty, golden brown hair.  
“So I’m gonna set the record straight from my side... But what happens to her… That’s up to you, Angel. She did you fucking dirty. You decide what happens to her. Let her know who you are. ” He finished, watching as confusion pulled at Kate’s eyebrows before he nodded his head for her to look behind them. He felt the shift of her wolf the second her eyes locked on to the cell door where Simon stood guarding.  
He felt the rush of adrenaline as his wolf sensed her hindbrain taking over and almost laughed with glee at the chaos that raged within her. Before Kate could lurch herself forwards to the cells where Tina waited for them, he pulled her focus back to him and stepped a little closer, watching her wolf war with herself over her impending heat and the anger within her that was ready to explode out of her at the drop of a hat.  
“Remember, no fucking guilt.” He repeated his words from earlier before he leant down and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead, then put his hand to the small of her back and pushed her along next to him down the narrow corridor that led to the cells. For the first time, he had no intention of leaving Kate down there.

A dark chuckle escaped him as he took in Simon’s bruised face and busted lip.  
“Shit she got you good huh, you gettin’ slow or just soft?” Negan taunted with amusement as Simon shook his head, a rueful look on his face before he responded with humour.  
“Nawh, she got the jump on me. Was a little too indulgent of Hilltop’s tribute of tequila and well, you can see how that ended.” He laughed it off even as Tina began to scream from the other side of the door, the words muffled by the heavy metal door separating them. Simon nodded his head at Kate, something close to a smile greeting her; he always was a little softer with Kate, it was something Negan counted on when he had to teach her a lesson. A good cop bad cop kinda deal.  
“Well shit nothin’ can keep you down can it cupcake? More fucking resillient then half those walking corpses out there aint cha?” He chuckled before averting his eyes back to Negan, he knew any lingering look would not sit well with the territorial leader, a hand brushing down his thick mustache.  
“Sure this is a good idea boss?” Simon asked one final time as he pulled a set of keys from his dirty cargo pants as well as what looked like a slip of paper from his back pocket, his eyes flitting between Negan and Kate, seeing the way her jaw was clenched already and looked as if she was ready to pounce.  
“What’s the worst that could happen?” Negan joked as he took the slip of paper from Simon and slipped it into his back pocket, knowing full well that nothing good would come of this situation. But the more emotion he pulled out of Kate, the easier it would be to keep her little wolf in control. Just what he wanted.

\---- Kate ----

With one swift movement, Simon unlocked the heavy metal that separated them for Tina, the undeniable smell of body odour, blood and anger was palpable to anyone within a mile.  
“Leave us to it Simon.” Negan demanded. Kate’s heart hammered in her chest as she saw Tina come into view. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to do ultimately, but in her periphery she could feel her little wolf pace, silently demanding her retribution.  
“You’re fucking harder to kill than a cockroach.” A voice croaked from the back of the cell where Tina leant against the wall, her voice still laced with her usual venom. Looking at her, she seemed to have gotten off relatively unscathed, other than dried blood on her hands and speckles on her face and the overwhelming smell of sweat, she looked as if she had just been mostly left alone since it had all happened. Kate felt the anger resonate from within her at the thought that all her punishment had been was to sit and think on what she had done, something that would never affect a heartless bitch like Tina.  
“Now that is no way to speak to your superior, is it Tina?” Negan questioned, goading a reaction that only brought a snort from Tina as she stepped further towards the light so she could get a good view of them.  
“I wasn’t talkin about you, I was talking about your little whore!” She spat back even as her body swayed on the spot, Kate clenched her jaw so tightly that it was a wonder she didn’t crack a tooth.  
“An I wasn’t talkin’ bout me, so watch your fucking mouth!” Negan all but roared in response, Tina looked as if she had been slapped across the face as realisation began to dawn on her, a smile spread across Kate’s face in response.  
“Wh-What are you talkin’ bout?” She asked gingerly, needing the clarification; her ego made it so that she couldn’t possibly believe that anybody but her was the Omega, if any, that Negan would have chosen to mate.  
“You know what I’m talking about Tina don’t play fuckin’ dumb it don’t suit you.” He laughed at her, watching as her expression morphed from disbelief to anger, to denial.  
“No no no you wouldn’t, she’s just a little fu-” The words died in her mouth when Negan pushed Kate forward with the hand that still rested at the small of her back. His hand curled around her hip as he turned her around to show off the fresh, still red bite mark that sat at the nape of her neck.  
It was as plain as day, the moment that the truth smacked her in the face. Tina’s face screwed up in rage as she inhaled and smelt their combined scents. An angered sob tore from her throat as she lunged to get past Kate with the full intention of tearing him a new one. A feeling of protectiveness overtook Kate, her Omega screaming at her to protect her Alpha, protect what was hers. This time it was Negan’s face that took on an expression of surprise as Kate stood side on, her hand shooting out to grip Tina’s throat firmly in her hand. A savage growl ripped its way from the very back of her throat, a growl so loud that she felt it rattle even her own eardrums and made Tina cower, her head bowing slightly in subservience even as she struggled for air.

“Well shit!” Negan cackled beside her, clapping his hands together in obvious amusement.  
“Knew you were fucking special Peachie but hot fucking damn!” He threw his head back, jutting his hips forwards and rocking backwards on his heels. A feeling of deep satisfaction flooded through her, her little wolf preened at the praise, making her fingers flex around Tina’s throat, feeling the way her pulse throbbed violently beneath her fingers. Even her mouth started to move without her even really listening to the words that slipped from her mouth.  
“You fucking dare touch him and I’ll break every bone in those perfectly manicured hands.” Kate’s voice, even to her own ears, took on an edge it had never heard before. Tina stood there, opening and closing her mouth like a fish floundering out of water, her fingers grasping at the vice like grip that Kate had around her throat. After a few seconds, Kate released her hand and the sounds of desperate gasps filled the room as Tina dragged lungfuls of air down greedily.  
“Why did you kill her?” Kate demanded as she stepped further into the room, looking down at Tina as she tried to catch her breath.  
“Wh-what?”  
Why did you kill her? Beth? You wanted to kill me, you didn’t have to kill her. Was it an accident?” She felt her own breathing increase as anger seeped its way into her voice, only accentuated by the faint laugh she heard slip past Tina’s mouth.  
“I killed her because I could.” Tina looked up at her, a salacious look pulled at her mouth even as she caught her breath, which soon rushed back out of her mouth when Kate’s hand grabbed her by the hair, craning her neck back viciously as she stared down at her.  
Her wolf screamed at her to take revenge.  
_Blood for blood. Make her fucking suffer!_ Her hindbrain demanded as she felt her own consciousness try to pull her back. She might not be feeling guilt anymore, but that didn’t mean that her moral voice didn’t demand to be listened to. She felt Negan shift behind her, his breath tickling at the side of her neck as he spoke.  
“She’d do it again if she was given the fuckin chance and you know it.” She could feel his breaths come quickly as if the entire scene excited him.  
“She murdered Beth. She tried to murder you.” He continued to goad her as Tina started to laugh beneath her.  
“All fucking bark and no bite, just a stupid little bitch in heat.” She spat out beneath her even as her neck was craned awkwardly, hardly wincing even as Kate’s fingers flexed at her scalp, laughing like a woman unhinged from days of solitude in a barely lit cell.  
“I’m not like you, I don’t just kill people!” Kate screamed, trying to drown out the voices that seemed to be goading her on, kicking back at her hindbrain that demanded revenge.  
“Oh but you do, don’t you remember Sherry?” Tina laughed again, watching as Kate shook her head violently. 

Inside of her own head, she felt herself shifting between her two selves, struggling for dominance as she tried to pull herself back from the precipice.  
“Murderer! Just like me! Murderer!” Tina taunted over and over again, even as Negan produced the slip of paper from his back pocket that he had taken from Simon only a few minutes before. Only it wasn’t a slip of paper, it was a polaroid.  
Kate felt his rough hands grasp at her chin, pulling her line of sight away from Tina and to the picture in his other hand. In front of her was a picture of a corpse next to an unfilled grave, blonde hair matted with fresh blood, the flesh of any discernible features of a once beautiful face completely destroyed. When Kate tried to turn her head, he forced her to look again, she screwed her eyes closed.  
“That’s what fuckin happened to Beth! Look at what she did! She killed her! She bled out and sweet old Beth tried to take a chunk out of a nurse who then put a shotgun to her face.” He stated flatly as if it was just a normal conversation. Kate shook her head beneath him, her fingers flexing in Tina’s hair as her arms began to tremble, Tina still laughing at Kate’s turmoil.  
**“OPEN YOUR EYES KATE”** The alpha command made the air around her shake, the timber of his voice hitting the back of her skull and forcing her eyes open. The second her eyes landed on the polaroid and she took in the carnage, her Omega took over as she completely shut down. A scream ripped from the back of her throat as she tightened her grip in Tina’s hair before forcing all her weight down, smashing her skull to the floor beneath her. A brief moment of silence followed before Kate’s arm ripped her head back again, smashing it again and again with a brutality that rivaled even Lucille. With every strike, the crunch of bone and Kate’s screams accompanied it. Even as she fell to her knees in her efforts, she continued to pull her head back and smash it to the floor until she felt Tina’s body go completely lax beneath her. 

Kate unthreaded her fingers from the tangles of blood soaked hair and leant on all fours on the floor, panting as she caught her breath. She closed her eyes when she felt the hot, sticky blood pool beneath her hands and knees. There was so much of it you could taste the coppery tang in the room as she gulped down air to calm her erratic heart. Once she caught her breath, she remained knelt on the floor and looked up and over her shoulder at Negan, her amber eyes meeting his own that were now almost black with the size of his pupils. Blood was flickered across her face, neck, shoulders and chest; her hair was coming loose from the bun on top of her head, making tendrils stick to her skin from sweat and blood.  
“There she fucking is.” He looked down at her in awe, remembering all the times he had seen her covered in blood, desperate and almost feral. A captive to her hindbrain and second nature the moment she let her emotions run wild. This was the version of her he wanted. Kate was gone; all that was left was what Negan had made.


End file.
